We Just Keep Fighting
by Tenshi Chupip
Summary: COMPLETE! When their father finally crosses the line Madison takes matters into her own hands to try and get her family out of harms way. But can she protect them all by herself anymore? This is my first fic so please PLEASE REVIEW! Enjoy!
1. Prologue

**I DON NOT OWN TMNT::sob: wish I did but don't. Please don't sue me! I'm a poor college student with only $2.00 to my name. Seriously! That's all I got. I do own the OCs though. **

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**We Just Keep Fighting **

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By: The Tenshi Chu

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**Prologue **

Madison winced as the hot water of the shower beat down on her back, hoping that it would wash any possible infection from the cuts and bruises she had just received. She usually didn't take showers when he was home but she knew that he was passed out on the floor of his bed room right now so she would be safe to do so. Besides, Peter would warn her by hitting the door if he woke up. Madison looked at the purpling bruise on her face in the reflection of the shower nozzle. This time had been bad. Peter was nursing a sore jaw too.

Madison smiled sadly to herself. The image of her younger brother jumping on her father's back when he'd grabbed her, in attempt to save her was fresh in her mind. Unfortunately their father proved to be just a little bit more than the thirteen year old boy could handle. He proved this by throwing Peter off his back effortlessly before punching him in the jaw. Madison had thrown something at her father to try and get his attention while Peter got the other kids into their bedroom and locked the door. She took the extra blows from her father's drunken stupor but it didn't matter because it meant that he would use up all of his energy on her so her younger brothers and sisters would be safe from him.

There were five of them all together; herself, the twins Peter and Kaylin, Molly and baby Brian; and they all shared a bedroom. Madison and Peter used to have their own rooms but now the mind set of safety in numbers was important. Madison, Molly and Kaylin now slept on a full sized bed, Peter on a cot at the end of the bed, and Brian in his playpen. Madison slept on the outside of her sisters in case their father tried to come in during the middle of the night. Madison gritted her teeth at the thought of her father laying his perverted hands on Kaylin and Molly. Molly was probably affected by their father's cruelty the most; at least mentally.

She didn't talk anymore. The child hadn't said a word since last year. Not after what happened. Soon after their mother died, their father had come after Molly and Kaylin in the middle of the night. Kaylin and Peter had been out on a camping trip with their class thankfully and Grandma had taken Brian for the night but that still left Molly and Madison home.

Madison remembered very clearly that Molly had climbed into bed in her with her sometime early in the evening, which she didn't mind because she was very close to Molly. Awhile later though Madison was rudely awakened when her father grabbed her by the hair and threw her off the bed. It didn't take Madison more then a millisecond to become fully awake and alert of the situation and she immedietly attacked him. She had taught herself basic karate skills but resorted to throwing herself on his back in attempt to make him get his attention off the Molly or at least take his drunken lust out on her to spare the young girl but he merely threw her off, slammed her to the ground and beat her to unconsciousness before proceeding to have his way with the little girl who at the time was only six years old. Molly hadn't said a word since. Madison spent every night since then comforting the shattered child. She had known all to well the sickening feeling of his hands roughly grabbing her in a way no one should.

_ "Let me go!" she screamed. _

_ "Shut up, you slut," he sneered, his breath heavy with the scent of alcohol. "It's not like you haven't slept with half the boys at your school. I'm just taking what you owe me." _

_ "I don't owe you anything, you perverted son of a bitch!" _

Madison still had bruises from that beating. Her father's beatings had grown steadily worse over the years, beating her siblings as well, all though she had been slightly successful in keeping Brian safe. A ten month old baby could not with stand the utter brutality of their father's fists. His normal target was her self; probably because she resembled her mother the most with her green eyes and shimmering honey brown hair. The other children resembled him with their bright blue eyes and either blonde or light brown hair. Except for Molly; she had looked like Mama too. Well for whatever reason, he didn't go after them as much, which she preferred, but when he did Madison made sure that she was there to defend them the best she knew how to. And believe it or not she did know a lot.

There was a quick tap on the door and her brother poked his head in, "Maddy, you'd better hurry up. I don't know how much longer he'll be out."

"Thanks, Peter," Madison heard the door click shut and she turned off the water. Stepping out, she barely dried herself before throwing her battered old jeans and grungy t-shirt back on. She looked down to make sure her necklace was still around her neck. To anyone else it was probably an extremely strange charm but it held a bit more meaning to Madison. Each of the children had a similar charm around their necks though they were each a different shape Actually Brian's was around Madison's neck for now until he learned not to try and eat it. Brought together they made a heart. Each charm had the child's first initial engraved on it. The charms had been a gift from their mother the Christmas before she died.

Satisfied that it was still there, Madison wrapped her hair in the towel and made a quick dash for the bedroom. Peter and the kids were all there waiting for her; they were a sight to see. They were all very fair skinned naturally but had become near ghost like pale over the years of abuse. Their tattered and over sized clothes made them look twice as skinny as they actually were. It wasn't like they were actually poor though, their father had a good paying job but used quite a bit of their money on alcohol and whatever was left over was harbored for his own selfish desires, or to keep up his cover as a loving suburban father.

Madison had a job in a pet store and whatever she made from that went for a few groceries and second hand store clothing for the kids. Kaylin usually sported light blue jeans and a dark blue quarter sleeved top, while Molly preferred her well loved faded pink dress that mother had given her for her birthday one year. It was no shock that the dress still fit even after two years because Molly was just as small at the age of 8 as she was at the age of 6. Peter, in his worn out jeans and baggy dark green sweat shirt, sat on the edge of the bed holding a first aid kit.

Madison smiled, "My hero." She planted a kiss on his forehead.

Peter's pale cheeks held a hint of pinkness, "Oh shut up and sit down."

Madison gently lifted his chin up so that she could examine the large purpling bruise on his face, "Did you put ice on this?" she asked, gently running her fingers over it, watching him look determined to not let her know that it did indeed hurt.

"I'm fine, Maddy, sit down so I can fix your back," he ordered.

Madison half smirked but sat down, and removed her shirt just enough so that he could do what he could. Peter opened the small box, looked in and frowned. All that was left in the battered box was a few band-aids and one small, very small, packet of Neosporin. Not enough to protect all of the wounds.

"Just do what you can, Petie," Madison said, reading his mind.

Peter nodded and got to work, concentrating on the worst of the gashes. Molly got up from her place on the bed and wedged her way in to Madison's lap, who welcomed the little girl warmly by wrapping her arms around her and resting her head on top of Molly's.

"Alright there, Mol?" she asked, smoothing out Molly's ratted dress and tilting her face up to her own. The little girl merely dropped her head again and snuggled closer to her sister, re-bunching up her dress. "Ok, Baby, ok. It's ok."

"That's all I can do, Maddy," Peter said, closing the now empty box and frowning at the very poor condition of his older sister's back. "It's not much but…"

"Better than nothing, thank you, Peter," Madison reached around and squeezed his leg as she re-donned her shirt. "Kay? You alright, honey?"

"Yeah I'm fine," she said, moving to sit right next to her twin brother. "That was really bad this time, Maddy."

Madison hugged Molly tight and sighed, "I know, I know. I'm working on it ok?"

"We should just get out of here!" Peter snapped. "We could go somewhere where we could be happy. I could take karate or kick boxing or something and then come back and show him..."

"Peter," Madison shifted around and faced her two siblings. "Stop it."

"No!" he shot. "He keeps hurting us! You're the worst off because you keep taking most of the crap that he dishes out so we'll be ok. And look what he did to Molly! She doesn't even talk anymore for god sakes! And what's gonna happen when that jackass goes too far and kills you?"

"I said stop it, Peter!" Madison said with more force than she had intended but it rendered him silent all the same. "One; Watch your language around the kids. I don't need Brian's first words to be swear words and two; we have enough problems with out you getting hysterical and wanting to haul off and try and beat the crap out of the very same man who just chucked you across the room like a rag doll and Three; You're going to scare the others with talk like that, do you here me, Peter Ranen Miller? Knock it off!"

"Yes, Ma'am," he muttered, quickly quieting.

"I don't want to get angry at you, guys," she said more softly. "I just need you to trust me ok?"

"Ok."

"Ok."

Molly just looked at her so Madison took that as a yes. Madison smiled at her younger brother and sisters, hoping to give them some sort of reassurance that everything would be ok. She removed the towel from her damp long hair and let them fall around her face. Molly picked up one lock and played with it. Madison smiled down at the little girl in her lap. What she wouldn't give to hear her sweet voice again. Just a few words; just to know that there was still a soul left in the young child. A sudden harsh pounding on the bed room door interrupted her thoughts as the door flew open to allow a man looking rather drunk and slightly pissed off, in.

"What the hell are all you basterds doin'?" he asked, his speech slurred. "Why aren't you doin' yer homework or something?"

"It's 11pm, Dad," Kaylin said. "We should be sleeping."

"Than why the hell aren't you sleeping?"

"Because a certain idiot came in the door, drunk, and started beaten the crap out of Madison," Peter growled under his breath.

"What'd you say, boy?" their father snarled.

"Nothing, Sir."

"Don't back talk me, Boy!"

"Dad, Peter wasn't talking back," Madison said, getting up off the ground and setting Molly next to Kaylin. "He was just…"

Madison was cut off with a sharp slap across the face. Peter made a move to get off the bed but Madison held a hand up to signal for him to stay where he was. Kaylin wrapped her arms around Molly who pressed herself close to her sister. Their father smirked sinisterly at Peter, his hand still raised in the air from hitting Madison, "Did that make ya mad, Boy?" he hissed. "Does that make you wanna try and take me down like you did last time?"

Peter felt Madison put her hand over his clenched fist, "No."

Their father eyed Madison's hand over Peter's. "So yer the key, eh Maddy?"

"Key, Dad?" Madison said with a venomous innocence.

"If yer calm, they're calm. If yer upset, they lose it," their father strutted over and grabbed Madison's face roughly. "So the question is how I get you upset?" His smile promised pain but Madison scowled darkly at him, showing him no fear just pure hatred. He smirked and roughly shoved her down on the bed. "You think yer so tough, Madison? You know I can break you with my bare hands."

"Nothing you do to me can get to me," she snarled.

"For once yer right about something," he smirked again and moved over to the play pin where Brian was peacefully slumbering. Madison's eyes grew large when he picked the child up. "Nothing I do to _you_ can get to you. However if I simply take the kid here and…"

"No!" Madison jumped up off the bed as her father moved towards the open window.

"What?" he mocked sitting on the window sill. "You don't trust me with my own son?"

"Not when you're drunk and near an open window," Madison looked desperate when her father started the pretend to play air plane with the sleeping child. "Wait! Stop! Please, Dad, don't hurt him!"

Her father grinned cruelly and pushed himself off the sill, "Get on yer knees." Loathing in her eyes, Madison obeyed. "Beg," he sneered. "Beg for my forgiveness."

Madison did, her self respect dissolving with each word but her determination to keep the baby safe and acid like hatred grew. Her father moved over to her, grabbed her by the hair and roughly jerked her head back, alcohol thick on his breath. "You are mine, Bitch, all of you are, and I will do with you as I wish. Do you hear me?" Madison glared at him. "DO YOU HEAR ME?" he back handed her across the face, rendering her to the floor. He threw the baby on the bed before grabbing Madison by the hair again and undoing his belt. Brian started to cry as their father brought his belt down on Madison's back again and again; they heard loud sickening slaps every time the belt made contact with Madison's flesh. As the belt tore through her thin shirt, pieces of the cloth went flying with every swipe. Kaylin held Molly and Brian close while Peter did his best to shield them from the sight of their father beginning to kick and stomp on their sister with his work boots. He knelt down and began to deliver a series of punches. He didn't stop until Madison had stopped moving completely, then stood back up and shook his belt at the others, "All of you should take a lesson from this. Never! Ever! Talk back to your father. You hear?"

"Yes sir," came a meek reply from underneath Peter's arms.

"Good," he gave Madison a final kick before stumbling out of the door and slamming the door behind him. Peter and the others immediately flew off the bed to the floor where their sister lay unmoving.

" Madison!" Peter shook her gently. She stirred a bit and he helped her up, swearing at the sight of blood dripping from her nose and forehead. He looked at her back and saw that their father had hit her so hard that her shirt was in ribbons and she was bleeding from her back again. Not only were there new deeper gashes but most of her old wounds had been re-opened. "Maddy? Maddy, please, say something!"

Madison's eye fluttered a bit, though she couldn't open one completely. "Brian…" she whispered. "Where is Brian…?"

"He's ok, Maddy, he's fine," Peter said hoisting her up to lay her on the bed, trying desperately to stop his tears. "You're bleeding!"

"I'm fine," she said, pushing her self up and pushing her pain aside though there was a lot of pain.

"The hell you are!"

"Peter, what did I just say about swearing?"

"Sorry."

"Maddy," Kaylin sat on the edge of the bed and put her hand over Madison's, her tears falling freely. "You can't keep this up. He's eventually gonna kill you."

"It's not me I'm worried about," Madison said, taking the still crying Brain from Kaylin; checking him over at least twice to make sure that he was indeed ok. "Shh, Brian, shh, it's alright, Baby." Madison held Brian close, calming him down enough to where he wasn't crying anymore. She couldn't believe their father had just done that. He had never gone so far to get her upset before. And now that he knew how to upset her, he would stop at nothing to make sure that Brian suffered just to watch Madison break. She wouldn't give him that opportunity; Kaylin and Peter were right. As soon as the baby fell back to sleep, Madison got up to put him in his play pin. Peter and Kaylin helped her back to the bed. She sighed and hung her head for a moment. "Peter, go and see if he is sleeping again." Peter nodded and quietly slipped out of the room for a few moments.

"He grabbed another case of beer, went into his room and locked the door," he said when he had returned.

"Good, that means that he'll be there for the rest of the night," Madison said, she looked up at Peter and Kaylin with a very serious expression. "Listen to me carefully you two. In about an hour, because I know he'll be out by then, I want you both to start getting stuff together. Not a lot, just a change of cloths, underwear, toothbrushes and whatever you think is absolutely vital. If you have _any_ money at all bring that too, I don't care if it is a handful of pennies, bring it. Kaylin, take Molly with you and help her, do not forget her medicine. Peter, I want you to help me get Brian's stuff ready now so you won't have to worry about anything when you are done getting your stuff except to get him into his little traveling sleeper. I'm going to get some other things together. I'll give you no more than 20 minutes to get this stuff together. The longer we wait the harder it will be to do this. Got it?"

They nodded.

"And I can not emphasize enough how important it is for you to be quiet," she said. "I want ninjas to be louder than you. OK?"

They nodded again. An hour and fifteen minutes later all five children were standing back in the room, each donning a back pack that looked stuffed. Being as silent and swift as possible the kids had been quicker in getting ready than Madison had expected but their determination to get out put her at a little more ease with the situation. After changing her shirt, Madison had rounded up her own things and all the money she could possibly find, including all the cash in her father's wallet, which added up to about $87.42, his debit card, and even about $4.50 from the couch cushions. She knew she had at least a thousand in a secret bank account she had started several years ago and between the three younger kids there was another $28.23. She'd count it all later but she was sure they had at least $110.

That was fine for now, they'd get more later. Madison stuffed the money and card in a zip lock baggie then into the side zipper pocket of the dipper bag she and Peter had already stuffed full of diapers and other random baby items. She was grateful her mother had decided to buy one of the gigantic ones before she died. Set on the ground was a duffle bag that she had shoved two or three blankets in, along with a few other random items including yet more baby stuff. Her own back pack was slung over her shoulder. She looked at each of her siblings. Kaylin and Molly looked terrified that their father was going too burst into the room at any moment and kill them all. Peter's eyes were cold and determined; Brian just snoozed away silently. Madison motioned for them all to come over to the window and pointed to the tree just outside of it.

"This is the only way we can get out unnoticed. For as stupidly drunk as he is, he'll hear the front door if it opens," she said. "Peter, I want you to climb down and I'll lower Molly down to you."

Molly grabbed Madison's hand and fiercely shook her head. Madison mentally kicked herself. Molly was terrified of heights. "I'm sorry, Mol, I completely forgot," she turned back to Peter. "Do you think you could carry her down on your back and I'll drop the bags down to you?"

"Yeah."

Madison went over to one of the dressers, pulled out a black bandana and tied it around Molly's eyes before hoisting her up onto Peter's back. He skillfully climbed out of the window with Molly and began climbing down the tree. Molly clung to her brother tightly. Once on the ground, Peter set Molly down. She took her blind fold off and adjusted her faded purple sweater while Peter caught their two backpacks, diaper bag and duffle bag that Madison tossed down to him. They then watched Kaylin climb out the window and into the tree, Brian asleep in a baby carrier on her back. Peter helped her down and made sure that Brian was still sleeping. If he woke up they were all dead, however luckily Brian was a deep sleeper and usually slept all night.

He looked up just in time to be able to catch two more back packs before watching Madison climb out of the window and down the tree as well. He could see the blood had stained the rim of her jeans. She landed on the ground with a soft thud and took the sleeping Brian from Kaylin, strapping him to her front. Peter slung the duffle bag over his shoulder and Kaylin adjusted her pack to comfortably accommodate the diaper bag. Madison zipped up her randomly colored hoodie jacket, adjusted her own back pack, check one last time to make sure that Brian was still sound asleep, then without a word gently took Molly's trembling hand and began leading them out of the yard and down the street; the domain from hell disappearing in the distance the further they walked. They walked in silence for about an hour before anyone dared to say a word.

"Where are we gonna go, Maddy?" Kaylin asked.

Madison hadn't really thought about that yet but she spoke the first place she could think of, " New York."


	2. Chapter 1: Unexpected Rescue

**Chapter One: Unexpected Rescue **

"I'm gonna go and get us something to eat, so you're in charge till I get back, Peter. Stop giving me that look, Kaylin," Madison said, not even glancing at her younger sister while retrieving two twenties from the dipper bag, but knowing the look on her face. "He's older."

"By two bloody minutes!"

"Not the point," she said firmly, shoving the bills into her pocket before looking Kaylin in the eye. They had hitchhiked to and had been roaming the city for almost two weeks now because finding a safe place to hide five kids wasn't easy. They refused to go to CPS because they would more than likely be separated. They knew there were cases were people took in whole families of children but there were just as many cases where the foster homes turn out as bad if not worse than the actual home. Madison was not willing to risk that.

They couldn't go to a safe house because the house would call CPS and it wasn't like they had any real friends, nor could they go to a neighbor's house. Their father was too well known and liked all throughout out the state to prevent him from getting them back. That was what seriously baffled Madison. How could anyone with two eyes not see what an ass their father was? The massive amounts of bruises and cuts weren't proof enough? Madison had tried a few times to get people to believe her but they would always just sadly patted her shoulder, shook their head and said something to the effect of "Of course dear, of course." Then they would call her father who would immediately rush over to get her, because he was of course extremely concerned about where his beloved daughter had been.

_"She's just still so upset about losing Leyla,"_ he would say, placing a dominating hand on her shoulder and arm. He would usher her to the car, and put her in. She would hear him explain to the neighbor how worried he was because they had stopped eating and now she was creating these wild stories about him hurting her. _"I know she misses her mother but I am really starting to worry about these bruises I'm finding on her…." _The neighbor would just put a hand on his shoulder and give him some encouraging words and tell him to take care of the kids. Oh he would take care of them alright… the second the front door closed every time he brought her back he would take care of them real good.

Sure outside of the house he was all smiles and laughs, and nauseatingly bragged nonstop about his children. Their father was the ultimate neighborhood nice guy. People at work loved him even more than the neighbors. He was a big hit at the neighbor's BBQ's with his magic tricks and was never known to turn a "friend" down for a loan. Lovely; every Tom, Dick and Harry could borrow a couple hundred bucks to pay for their car to get fixed but he couldn't spend $20.00 on groceries for his own children. He had friends all over the state; even here in New York but at least here they would be less likely to be caught because of it being such a big town.

And yet still Madison was not willing to risk it so she did not sneak out during the main day light hours to get food. They stuck to the allies during the day and the streets during the night, sleeping where ever they could find some place relatively safe. They had been able to extract about four thousand dollars from their father's account (yay for deserted ATMs!) before destroying the card and, thanks to 8 percent interest rates; they emptied Madison's account of another $3,950.

Madison frowned and sighed at the annoyed and angry look on Kaylin's face, "Peter is the man of the family now, Kay, and whether you want to admit it or not, a little bit more capable of protecting you guys. It's not that you're a weak wall flower and you know that is not what I meant. I need you to watch over Brian and Molly and I need Peter to watch over you ok? That is what brothers do." Seeing her words were falling on deaf ears Madison sighed and placed her hands on Kaylin's shoulders. "Please, Kaylin; I need you to watch over the little kids. Let Peter worry about everything else. Ok? Please, Kay? For me?"

"Fine," Kaylin didn't sound happy but Madison knew that she would do as she asked.

"Thank you," Madison gave a quick kiss and hug to each sibling, and promised to be back just after dusk. She left the ally to search for a near by grocery store or deli. They hadn't eaten since yesterday morning so they were more than entitled to a good meal. Not to mention Brain was running low on diapers. Madison wrinkled her nose; diapers were of top priority when thinking about the alternative.

Madison soon made her way back to the ally with her treasures in hand. Two sacks filled with deli sandwiches, bottled waters, a pack of diapers and several jars of baby food. And for a special treat a case of grape soda and a box of chocolate chip cookies. They should have enough food for at least two days. Madison smiled as she thought of the look on her brothers' and sisters' faces when she showed them the cookies and soda. It was just past dusk when Madison entered the ally. She frowned when no one answered her. Madison knew that she had told them to hide if they heard someone come down the ally but she had called them so they should have known it was ok to come out.

"Peter? Kaylin?" she called again, moving further into the darkness. "Molly? Guys, where are you? This is not funny anymore."

Madison heard a groan behind a dumpster. She quickly went over in hopes to find her siblings but only saw the moving form a punk who looked like he'd had his ass whipped real good. She dropped her bags and grabbed the man by his shirt collar, hoisted him up and slammed him up against the brick wall he had been leaning up against, her underestimated strength and pure adrenaline working in her advantage.

"Who are you?"

"Someone you shouldn't mess with, Bitch," he shot. She rolled her eyes. Like he could do anything to her in his current state. Madison eyed him carefully, finally settling on dragon shaped tattoo on his collar bone. Her eyes grew large; she knew that symbol. She slammed him again.

"Where are my brothers and sisters!" she snarled.

"Wouldn't you like to know," he grinned with a mocking cruelty.

Madison figured that a direct approach would be a better way of getting the information she needed. She proceeded to swiftly and roughly bring her knee cap to the man's groin twice, causing him to buckle over in pain.

"The freaks took 'em!" he gasped through uneasy breaths. "You'd think it would have been easier to rip off a couple of kids."

"What freaks!" Madison's eye blazed with fury as she slammed him back against to wall, "If they are hurt I swear…"

"Lady, you'd better worry more about yourself gettin' hurt," a cold voice sneered behind her.

Madison turned around to face three more men standing behind her. They also all looked as though they had had a thorough beating but were obviously better off. Purple dragons were tattooed to various parts of them. She released her victim, letting him crumple to the ground in pain from her blows, and faced the three new comers. Her green eyes narrowed at them.

She looked at them coldly and said in a frigid calmness, "I don't suppose you have seen four children wondering around?"

"Four, eh?" the largest man grinned wickedly at her. "Ain't those the brats we tried pickin' up an hour ago?"

Madison's mind started racing. Picked up? An hour ago? Damn!

"Where are they?" she asked even colder, her eyes promising death to anyone who had the unfortunate of messing with her.

"Our friendly neighborhood freaks took 'em," he sneered. "Don't know where. They'll probably make short work of the two little punks but I wouldn't be surprised if they kept the chicks around for…special personal uses. I actually wouldn't of minded a go with that little blonde chick…"

Madison lost all sense of reasoning right then and there as she lunged at the sneering son of a bitch and landed a solid punch on his face, sending him stumbling backwards. Madison's eyes widened as she stood in her attack pose. She just hit a psycho gang banger who could easily bench press her with one arm. Smart move… The man looked at the blood on his hand that was dripping from his nose, "Get 'er!"

A flash of her brother's and sister's faces in her mind being loaded up in a truck or something and taken away by a bunch of nuts fueled her adrenaline and fury. The two minions dove at Madison but she easily dodged them giving her a chance to get into another fighting stance, "Come on!" she shouted.

"Well lookie here boys, the little ally cat wants to fight back," the leader smirked.

The goons made another go for her but this time she landed several punches and kicks. Elbowing one in the nose, round house kicking one in the chest, and rendering the last one probably fertiless, Madison panted for breath. She had never taken on anyone let alone three at a time before, and with the fourth one starting to come around she knew crap was about to hit the fan. Damn! She swore in her mind. She had back herself into a corner too.

"Here kitty, kitty, kitty," sneered the leader.

The two lackeys grabbed and pinned Madison up against the wall as the leader advanced, cracking his knuckles.

"What do you think we should do with her?" the lackey to her right asked.

"I think we should enjoy her company a bit," the leader said. "What do you boys think?" At the jeers of his two comrades he smirked down Madison. "But first we need to teach this little hell cat some manners." He delivered a very forceful punch to Madison's gut, nearly causing her to vomit up the nothingness in her stomach. It was fallowed by several more punches and slaps. With blood gushing from her nose and lip and more cuts and bruises covering her face and body, Madison slumped forward. "Had enough?" Madison groaned in response, she couldn't even open her right eye now. "You ready to be a good girl now?"

Madison's mind jumped back into alertness at this and started thrashing the best she could as the two goons held her firmly to the wall while their leader reached for the fly of his pants. He forced Madison into a kiss but reeled back and nursed the bleeding lip she had just bitten. "Bitch!" he decked her hard across the head, rendering her almost unconscious.

"Why unbutton your pants when you have nothing to show for it?" she smirked, warily, which gained her another punch. She slumped to the ground, unable to stand. Her mind was screaming at her to stop antagonizing the walking mountain but her pure stubborn sarcasm wouldn't let her. "What? I'm sorry I just don't like women in that way. No need to get offended."

The dragon group leader looked livid as he grabbed Madison by her hoodie jacket front and hoisted her up with one arm while drawing the other arm back for a punch. "Say 'goodnight', Ally Cat"

"Goodnight, Ally Crap."

Madison's body hit the ally floor with a thud. She felt a pair of strong arms hosting her into them. Not knowing, nor caring where the arms were taking her, Madison slipped into unconsciousness with a streak of orange smeared across her vision and the sound of groans and moans of pain ringing in the back of her mind.


	3. Chapter 2: Out Voted

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**Chapter 2: Out Voted **

_"I'll find you, Madison," a sneering vile voice sliced through Madison's dream world like a knife. "I'll find you all." _

Madison stirred from her sleep. Swirls of very distant laughter helped her out of her dream world. It had been pleasant up till that cold voice but she knew that she had to wake up and get the kids movin… THE KIDS! Madison's eyes flew open and, suddenly remembered what had happened, she shot up from a well worn couch but fell back into the pillow just as quickly when agonizing pain shot through her head and down her spin, spreading through her body like wild fire. She let out a cry, not of agony exactly, but of annoyance at her stupidity. Her eyes and teeth clenched together as she hissed in pain. She couldn't even fully open one of her eyes anyways.

"Not the best idea," said a soft voice next to her. Madison felt a wet cloth pat her fore head; the cool dampness pressed up against the white hot pain in her fore head felt wonderful. "You took one hell of a beating up there."

"My brothers and sisters," she murmured. "I have to find…"

"Don't worry about them, Madison, they're fine," the voice said. "Mikey has been keeping them entertained."

Madison's eyes opened again the best they could be, and stared at the arm that was attached to the wash cloth. The arm attached to the cloth happened to be attached to a large green creature wearing a purple bandana. Madison's mouth drop and she shot off the couch like a fire cracker, ignoring the white hot pain surging through her body again.

"Who the hell are you?" she shirked. "_What_ the hell are you!"

" Madison, you might wanna…OWW!" the purple bandana creature drew back when Madison landed a hard punch to his face. "What was that for?"

"Where are they!"

" Madison, they…"

"And how do you know my name!"

" Madison, you really should lie back down, you have a minor concussion so you're gonna be prone to…" the thing caught Madison mere seconds before she hit the ground. "Having dizzy spells."

"Where am I?" she asked, suddenly feeling very weak again from her adrenalin being spent so quickly. The creature laid her back down on the couch and reapplied the damp cloth. "Where are my brothers and sisters?"

"You're in our home, and when I say 'our' I mean my brothers, master and I," he said. "And you're brothers and sisters are fine, they are in the other room."

"But I thought…Someone told me…"

"They're fine, we heard what that purple dragon said and it's not true," he replied. "We're not like that."

"Who is 'we'?" Madison asked. "Forgive me for staring but…"

"Don't sweat it, we get it a lot," the creature chuckled. "My name is Donatello, and if you really can't figure it out, I'm a turtle."

"A turtle?" she half chuckled. "I must of have been hit harder than I thought."

"Yeah you were hit pretty hard but I'm not an illusion," Don said, dipping the cloth back into his basin of cold water, wringing it out and putting it back on her head. "I'm as real as you are."

"Ok, so you're real, you said you had…brothers?"

"If you're asking what I think you're asking, yeah they're turtles too," he chuckled. "Our sensei however is a rat."

"He's a liar?"

"No, literally, he is a rat," Don laughed.

"Nice," Madison rolled her eyes in her swollen sockets. "So my family is ok? How long have I been out?"

"Yes, Madison, for the final time they are fine," he said. "And you've been outta commission for at least a day."

"I have to find Molly," Madison swatted Donny and his wash cloth away and pushed herself off the couch. "Aw crap that hurts… She needs her…"

"Medicine?" Don said, trying to gently push Madison back down. "Your brother took care of that, don't worry. You are the one who needs the medicine."

"Get out of my way," she growled.

"You should just lie back down, you need rest."

"Move," Madison glared at him venomously.

Donny sighed in defeat, "If you are so determined to see for yourself at least let me help you."

"Fine."

"Just don't hit me again," Donatello said rubbing his cheek that she had landed a pretty solid punch on.

"Sorry, reflex."

Donny chuckled softly as he put the cloth down and helped Madison completely stand and steady herself. They slowly made their way out of the crude living room into an even cruder kitchen on the other side of the gymnasium sized room. Madison breathed a sigh of relief to see all four of her siblings sitting around a table. Molly reclined on Peter's lap while Kaylin cradled a wide eyed Brian in her arms. Madison chuckled at the sight of their fascination with another turtle in an orange bandana doing what looked like an attempt bake cookies and make Brian laugh at the same time. He was succeeding in not only in making Brian laugh but the other children too, well actually Molly was just smiling; she doesn't laugh. There was another turtle that was leaned up against a wall laughing at his brother; the leaning turtle's bandana was blue. Madison was scanning the kitchen that looked like it had been hit with a bomb of cookie dough when the orange turtle noticed Don and Madison standing in the door way and stopped. The blue bandana turtle fallowed his gaze and smiled at them.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Dudette!" the orange one smiled.

In unison all of the children turned around to face Madison. Molly flew off Peter's lap and threw her arms around her waist, nearly knocking Madison over. Peter and Kaylin quickly fallowed with Brian. Madison took careful time to thoroughly look over each child before throwing her arms around them and kissing them. Molly stayed glued to her waist.

"Are you guys ok?" she asked, cupping Peter's face. "What happened?"

"Well awhile after you left those guys showed up and tried to take our money," Kaylin said, rocking Brian back and forth. "Peter tried making them go away but they pushed him down and tried to grab our stuff. Well then Mikey and his brothers showed up, kicked the crap out of 'em and brought us down here to keep us safe until you came back."

"Well I'm back now; we don't need to impose anymore on these….er…people?" Madison blushed apologetically to Don and the blue clad turtle.

"You are not imposing on anything," Don said. "And going anywhere, other than back to bed, in your state would not fall under the category of smart."

" Madison, I am gonna have to go with the green dude on this one," Peter said.

"'Dude'?" Madison looked at her brother with a humored expression. "Since when have you started using the word 'dude'?"

"Since I met Mikey here," he smiled, slapping the turtle on the back that'd joined their group. Madison arched an eyebrow at the turtle named Mikey who just grinned at her. Her brother had not smiled in awhile like that, and she hadn't heard him seriously laugh in even longer.

The blue bandana turtle shoved off the wall and held out his three fingered hand to Madison, "Leonardo," he smiled as Madison hesitantly shook it. "You all should at least stay until you're better. Master Splinter already said that you are welcome to stay as long as you like."

"Master Splinter?"

"Our sensei," said Don.

"Oh, yeah, him."

"Even Molly likes him!" Peter exclaimed. "You know we're okay if Molly likes 'em!"

Madison nodded subconsciously. Molly didn't like anyone outside of the five of them and was usually terrified of strangers. If she felt safe here there was no doubt in her mind that it was.

"Besides, we took a vote," Kaylin chirped. "Four to one, you're out voted."

Madison sighed in defeat and nodded, "Alright, we'll stay," she was cut off by whoops and cheers from the kids and Mikey. Even Molly smiled. "BUT it's only until I'm better then we are outta here. Got it?"

"Yeah."

"Ok than," Madison, closed her eyes and sighed slowly remembering something. "Did you…save any of our bags?"

"It's all here," Peter said, "Even the groceries you brought back before you were attacked. Did you need something?"

"Molly had her medication?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Ok, then grab me the duffle would ya?"

"Sure," Peter disappeared from the kitchen.

"Ok, satisfied now? Back to bed," Don said taking her arm. "Whatever you need outta that bag, you can get lying down."

Madison didn't have the strength to object and allowed Donatello and Leonardo to help her back to the living room with Kaylin and Molly following them. Molly sat on the floor next to Madison's head. Kaylin made her self comfortable in a beaten up lazy boy recliner, Brian nestled in her lap. Don re-covered her with a blanket and brought out another pillow.

"Thank you," she said. "Donatello was it?"

"Call me 'Don' and it's no problem," he smiled at her. His brown eyes shifted to the little girl at Madison's head. "Is she really shy? She hasn't said a word since they came here."

"Um…well…" Madison wasn't sure if she wanted to explain.

"Molly doesn't talk to anyone," piped Kaylin, ignoring the glare Madison was shooting her. "Not even us."

"How come?" Mikey asked emerging from the kitchen with a tray piled with a plate of cookies and several glasses of milk. He set it on the coffee table in front of Molly who immediately grabbed one.

"Because of…"

"Kaylin," Madison interrupted. "We don't need to bore them with our personal life."

"Maddy…" Kaylin shut her mouth at Madison's glare.

"Is it the same reason you have all those scars?" Don bravely asked.

Madison's heart sank into her stomach, "How do you know about those?" she asked.

"When we brought you down here you were pretty messed up," Don said very matter-o-factly. "But you were bleeding from practically everywhere and there is no way those thugs could've caused the kind of damage. Looked like you'd had most of 'em for awhile now but they probably got reopened by the group that attacked you," Trying to form words to what she knew his next question would be, Madison looked down and stroked Molly's hair gently. "What happened?"

When Madison hesitated to answer Kaylin chimed in, "It was our dad."

Mikey, Leo, and Don eyed Madison but she didn't dare meet their inquiring gaze.

"Let's just say he isn't father of the year," Kaylin said, pulling up her sleeve to reveal several bruises. " Madison usually took the bulk of it to keep us safe. Not that that stopped him from trying. Molly doesn't talk anymore because last year after our mom died he hurt her really bad. After that he left her alone for the most part. That's why we left, because he kept hurting us."

The scene was very still except for Molly munching away on the cookies acting oblivious to the conversation when Peter came bounding back into the room with the duffle bag. He noticed this tenseness and eyed his family, "What's up?"

"Oh nothing," Madison grumbled. "Kaylin is just telling our life's story to complete strangers."

"Huh?"

"About why we ran away."

"Oh, that?" Peter shrugged his shoulders. "I already told them the basic story while you were out."

"Then why ask about the scars if you already knew why they were there?" Madison asked, fixing Leo, Don, and Mikey with piecing glares.

"We've always been told it's better if the person tells it themselves that way you get the story right," Leo said, shifting uncomfortably at the look on Madison's face.

Madison rolled her eyes and took the duffle bag from Peter, who took a seat next to Molly on the floor. She unzipped the bag while looking at the watch on her arm; it was about 1 in the afternoon, "Alright guys listen up. Kaylin, it's nap time for Squirt there: his eyes are already shut. Any place to lay him down?"

"Yeah, we all slept in Leo's room last night so we can just lay him down in there."

"I take it that would be your nickname?" she asked, directing her gaze to Leonardo who nodded. "So Don, Leo, Mikey, and Splinter, right?"

"And Raphael."

"Who?"

"Our other brother."

"Oh so there are four of you guys."

"Right."

"You'll know when you met Raph," Mikey laughed. "You can't miss him for the world."

"Ooook…" Madison turned her attention back to her sister. "I want you to go lay him down in Leo, right... Leo's room, then come back here."

Kaylin nodded and disappeared for a few moments into another room; she returned shortly later and took a seat on the floor this time watching Madison dig into the bag again; groaning with Peter when Madison pulled out what looked like two school work books, "Ah, Madison! For cryin' out loud!"

Madison half laughed at their faces but said in a firm voice, "You know the drill. Five pages, front and back, completed in two hours, got it?"

"Yeah…"

"Kitchen. Table. Now."

The twins grumbled, took the books and their glasses of milk and disappeared into the kitchen. At least they could eat the rest of Mikey's fresh cookies. The brothers looked impressed at Madison's gentle yet firm and authoritative way of dealing with her younger siblings. It reminded them a lot of Master Splinter's ways. They watched as she dug into the bag once more and pulled out a worn chapter book. _The Chronicles or Narnia_ was spelled out in golden ink across the binding. Madison patted the space next to her and Molly climbed up onto the couch and nuzzled her way into the nook of her sister's body still munching on a cookie while Madison opened the book to a marker and began reading a loud to her. "Chapter Fourteen, The Triumph of the Witch;_ 'As soon as the Witch had gone Aslan said, "We must move from this place…"_.'"

Don softly nudged Mikey and Leo in the arm and motioned for them to follow him to the lab, "Wow," he said once they were out of ear shot. "That is one heck of a family."

"No kidding," Mikey said, actually sounding serious for once. "And I don't think what Pete told us is even half the crap they've put up with."

"I think you're right," Leo said, uttering the words that he didn't think were possible to form when talking to Mikey. "Think how destroyed that little girl must be for her to not even want to talk anymore. She hasn't spoken a single word in over a year?"

"Yeah," Mikey nodded. "I think we need to talk tah Master Splinter."

"He'll be finishing his mediation in about 2 minutes," Don replied. "Raph is probably out beatin' the crap out of random thugs with Casey so we'll just fill him in when he gets back. It actually might be better that way."

"Good point."

"Not it!" Mikey exclaimed.

Don rolled his eyes, "No point beatin' 'round the bush, let's go."

"Um hey Donny…"

"What?"

"What happened to your cheek?"

"I don't wanna talk 'bout it."

"Did she…"

"Yeah."

"Wow," Leo laughed.

"Shut up, Leo," Don snapped and left the train car fallowed by Mike and Leo. They went and gently rapped on their sensei's door, entering at his command.

"What have you learned of our new guests, my sons?" the ancient one asked them.

"All they would say is that they ran away because of their father, Sensei," Leo said. "I have a feeling though that their story is much longer than that."

"The chapters in that book our young friend is reading to the child are long," the rat smiled. "You have time."

The turtles nodded.

"Donatello."

"Yes, Sensei?"

"What has happened to you cheek, my son?"

Don shot his both his snickering brothers a sharp glare.


	4. Chapter 3: Hey, Roomie!

I do not own the folk song Madison sings in here!

**Chapter 3: Hey, Roomie! **

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN I'M MOV'IN IN WITH MIKEY!" Raph thundered after Leo, who had lost rock paper scissors and had to be the one to tell him, explained that he would need to have to bunk with Mikey.

"Raph," Leo said, rubbing his temples. "We need your room for Madison and the kids to sleep in."

"I thought that they were only gonna stay fer that one night!" Raph fumed. "And I thought they were staying in yer room?"

"There is a bit more to this story than just a group of run aways," Leo said. "Besides, not only is your room the biggest out of all four of us and it just so happens that there are _five_ of them but you also have the biggest bed. How you got a queen mattress down here is beyond me..."

"Why can't I bunk with you or Donny?"

"Because you hate getting up at 4am and Donny will keep you up because he keeps the light on all night so he can read. So shut up, get what you need from your room and take it to Mikey's. Besides, as soon as we can find a playpen or something Peter and Brian are going to be in my room so I'll be bunking with Donny anyways."

"What!" Raph cried out in frustration, "They're staying! Why the hell they are they staying! And for how long!"

"I already told you that," Leo shot. "There is more to this than just a couple of run aways and the oldest is in no shape to go anywhere. She slept most of the day after Don fixed her up and gave her some pain killers but she woke up a few hours ago. Don made her get back into bed but she just got back up and started doing stuff around the Lair when he left. She's in your room right now getting it ready for her brothers and sisters to go to bed. I think she might be pushing herself a bit but Madison is…"

"Who the hell is Madison!"

"The oldest sister! Geez, Raph! Pay attention for cryin' out loud!" Leo thundered. "The one Mikey, Donny and I brought in last night."

"Well how would I know! I never saw you bring her in!" Raph shouted back. "I only say a mound of blankets and a mass of hair this morning on the couch."

Leo groaned and shook his head, "Look if you have that big of a problem with it go and talk to Madison about it."

"You damn right I'll go talk to _Madison_," Raph stormed off. "Why is it that _Madison_ suddenly makes all the decisions? Who told _Madison_ she could take over my room! Who on god's green earth does she think she is? Oh wait I know… She's… " Raph stopped right in the middle of his sarcastic monologue rant at the doorframe to his bedroom. He stared at the young thin and pale woman leaning over his bed smoothing out a blanket. " Madison…"

Madison's head snapped up in the direction of the door frame and she stood up to her full height, which wasn't any taller than him, "You must be Raphael." She said with an uneasy smile, tucking a stray lock of honey brown hair behind her ear. "I'm Madison." She walked over and held out her hand which he instinctively shook, not speaking or taking his gaze away from of her green eyes. There was something about her eyes. He didn't know what, but something in her eyes were... "Raphael?"

Raph shook himself from his thoughts and finally spoke with a frown and clear bitterness in his voice, "So er… you and the munchkins are gonna be sleepin' in here, huh?"

"Yeah, I am really sorry about this, I hope this isn't causing you too much trouble," she said with an apologetic smile.

"Yer damn right it's causing me trouble!" Raph blurted out. "Do you have ANY idea what it is like to room with that nut job I have to call a brother! Dammit, woman! You're gonna owe me big for this!"

Madison looked taken back but slightly narrowed her eyes, "I said I was sorry this was not my idea."

"So whose idea was it?"

"Your _father's_," she snapped. Madison had met Master Splinter shortly after she had begun reading to Molly, and no matter what she had envisioned in her head it was nothing even remotely close to his actual appearance. She couldn't understand what it was but after talking to him for only a few moments she had never had more respect and trust for someone before in her life. However, this guy was another story. "Ya know this kinda surprises me. He and your brothers have been extremely hospitable to us; I guess that gene missed your egg."

"Shows how much you know!" Raph snapped back. "Rats don't lay eggs. We're adopted!"

Madison did her best not to start laughing hysterically but instead smirked, "Are you trying to make yourself sound stupid because you are doing a really good job."

"I'm not stupid!"

"Keep telling yourself that, Dear, you might just start to believe it," she said casually. "I think maybe you just missed that day in school when they passed back the IQ scores."

"I never went to school, if it isn't obvious why I couldn't."

"I just think it's obvious that you didn't."

"Don't get smart with me!"

"I'll try not to," she smiled, patting him on the cheek. "It's not fair to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person."

"Why you little…!"

"Ah I see you and Raph have met," Donny said, entering the room with a mat and a few extra pillows and blankets. He had actually been standing just outside the door for a few minutes listening to them argue trying so hard not to laugh because he knew Raph would kill him but he had a feeling that now was a good time to step in before Raph either made himself look like a complete idiot or Madison pushed him a little too far. He really was trying hard not to laugh. "I thought you could use these, I'm sorry we don't exactly keep cribs around but…"

"No this is great, thank you, Don," Madison smiled brilliantly at him while taking the materials from his arms. She casually brushed passed Raph "accidentally" bumping him as she did. "I don't know how you ended up having such a sour brother when you, Leo and Mikey are all so sweet." She smirked behind her hair as she began to lay out the mat and things. She saw Don grab Raph and dragged him out of the room, yelling over his shoulder that they had to go do something.

" Madison: Four. Raph: Zip," Donny laughed to himself once he had dragged Raphael away trashing in his arms.

_Later… _

"Of all the wise cracking, bossy, stuck up know it all's…!" Raph slammed his fist in to the punching bag. "Just _who_ the hell does she think she is!"

Raphael had been in the dojo attacking the poor punching bag for at least an hour. He was furious that Donny had pulled him away but barely admitted to himself that it was probably a good idea. The look in her eyes had un-nerved him. What was in her eyes, he couldn't tell. They were full and yet empty, bright but darken. They laughed and sobbed at the same time. They were very intelligent eyes, but very, very frightened eyes. Not a lot of things bug him like that but man… those eyes had nearly knocked him flat on his shell.

Losing himself in his thoughts again, Raph missed the punching bag entirely with his fist but met it full force with his face as though the thing was taking revenge for being beaten so badly. Raphael stumbled back holding his nose and swearing loudly at the violently swinging bag. He stopped suddenly, hearing a noise coming from behind a stack of wooden practice katanas. Raph walked over and scowled at the giggling little girl crouched behind them.

"What are you doing down there?" he asked, sounding extremely annoyed about being laughed at by a small child. The little girl's head snapped up but she was still giggling at him. "Will ya cut that out, kid!" the more he ranted the more she giggled. It wasn't more then two minutes before he had her laughing heartily. "Stop laughing at me, damn you!"

This shut her up very quickly. She stopped, stood up and stared at him innocently. Raph almost tripped over his own feet trying to back away from her gaze. The expression in her eyes was almost painful to look into. They were worse than Madison's. She at least had strength and wit behind her pain; the child's eyes were just pain. A look of pure destroyed innocence. Raph let go of his throbbing beak and bent down on a knee onto her level, "Hey kid, I'm sorry."

She didn't say anything, just stared at him. Raph shook his head and sighed with frustration, "Look kid, I… WHOA!" Raph lost his balance, purely out of shock, when the girl had shoved him suddenly before retreating back behind the katanas. All Raph had tired to do was lay his hand on her shoulder. "What the hell is your problem, Kid!" he thundered. She didn't say anything, just stared back at him with her destroyed green eyes. "Say something for god sake!"

"She won't so you might as well save your breath."

Raph whipped his head around and saw a young teenage girl leaning up against the door frame, "Why not? She not know how or somethin'?"

"Of course she knows how," the girl half laughed. "She just won't."

"Why not?"

"Because when she was 6 our dad raped her, that's why."

Raph was suddenly felt ill, _"Open mouth, insert foot,"_ he grumbled inside his head. He looked back at the little girl crouched back behind the katana rack in her tattered pink dress. No wonder she freaked out when he had tried to touch her shoulder. How many times had she been grabbed or touched where she shouldn't have been to get her to the point where she didn't even want to talk let alone be touched at all. The little girl poked her head out from behind the katana rack and she smiled shyly. Raph couldn't help but smile back, trying to coax her out from behind there, "Alright, Kid, I'm sorry. Come on out," when she didn't he frowned. "I ain't gonna hurt ya, Kid."

"Her name is Molly, by the way," the girl said from the door frame. "I'm Kaylin."

"Raphael."

"I know," Kaylin smiled. "Mikey told us all about you. Did you really sleep with a stuffed rabbit until you were 13?"

"He told you that!" Raph thundered. "I'll kill 'im!"

"Hey, don't sweat it," Kaylin laughed, holding up her hands in defense. "Peter and I are 13 and he sleeps with a teddy bear."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but don't tell 'im I told ya that or he'll kill me," Kaylin smiled again before looking over at the little girl. "Come on, Molly, Madison says it's time for bed."

Immedietly Molly jumped up from her hiding place, ran to her sister and hid her face behind Kaylin's legs, smiling shyly at Raph.

"Say goodnight to Raphael, Molly," Kaylin said softly.

"I thought you said she doesn't talk?"

"She doesn't, but we try and encourage it every chance we get," Kaylin replied. "Say good night, honey."

Molly didn't say anything but she did smile and waved before Kaylin shooed her off, "You know, you must really be something special, she never warms up to anyone that fast."

"You call that warming up to me?"

"Consider your self lucky," she chuckled. "She kicked Mikey."

Raph let out a loud laugh and pushed himself off the ground, "She's spunky if nuthin' else. I kinda yelled at her for laughing at me and the kid knocked me over. I think I accidentally scared 'er."

"Um I think you might be wrong about something."

"What?"

"Molly wouldn't of been laughing at you," Kaylin said with a confused expression. "Because Molly doesn't laugh."

"Well she was."

"Umhm," Kaylin said gently. "Well uh don't worry about scaring her. She really does seem to like you. It's just her reflex defenses kicking in. We all have those but I guess that can only be expected when… well ya know."

"No," Raph said. "I don't know, and neither should you."

"And yet I still do," Kaylin frowned at the floor. "We all do, can't do nuthin' about it but move on and keep fighting."

"Yer sister seems to do that pretty well," Raph grumbled.

Kaylin chuckled, "Who, Maddy? Yeah she is definitely the strongest out of all of us. She's put up with the most of Dad's crap. He's beaten and raped her more times than I can remember. And she just sits there and takes it because she figures that if he uses up all his energy on her he wouldn't come after us. But he finally did start coming after us and Maddy couldn't stop him. We left after he tried to drop Brian out a window just to make her upset."

"Geez…"

"Did you know that her name means 'fighter'?"

"Really?"

"Madison Leyla: Fighter of the Night."

"Interesting," Raph chuckled, wondering why this kid felt like he needed to know this but all the while thinking how well the name to fit the hellcat. "What sorta name is 'Leyla'?"

"My mother's," said a cold voice from the door frame. "Kaylin, it's time for bed."

"But it's only 9 o'clock!" Kaylin exclaimed. "What 13 year old has to go to bed at 9 o'clock?"

"The one standing in front of me," Madison smirked. "Bed, that way, moving, now." Kaylin narrowed her eyes at the annoying phony smile spread across her sister's face. "Please."

Kaylin grumbled but obeyed, fallowing her sister out of the dojo. Raph grumbled a bit himself. He was gonna try and apologize for being such a dick earlier and he would prefer to do it away from the prying ears of Mikey and the others. Didn't need them thinking he was going soft. He would never live it down. He made his way out of the dojo about a half hour later, down the hall towards the living room. He stopped right outside his bedroom door that was cracked just enough for the murmuring voices in side to be heard.

"…how long are we gonna stay here?"

"Not long, just until I heal up a little bit."

"But why?"

"Kay, please don't start. Roll over and make room for Molly."

"I like it here, Maddy."

"Peter, we can not live here. This is not our home, it's theirs. And it's not like we're running from the mafia or anything we can live anywhere."

"Maddy, yer not gonna turn 18 for another month so if we go anywhere near CPS right now they'll split us up!"

"I would not let that happen, Kay, and you know it."

"They'll do whatever they want with us if they find us, you know that!"

"Knock it off, Kay, we are not splitting up and no one is going to make us. _Féminin_, remember? We're a féminin and we're gonna stay that way. Got it?"

"Yes."

"Alright then, just trust me. I'm doin' what I can here."

"We know."

There was a pause and Madison's voice suddenly sounded more chipper, "So who's got first pick tonight?"

"It's Molly's turn," a voice that Raph assumed by now was Kaylin's chuckled. "No need to ask what one she wants."

There was a chuckle from Madison and another pause. Wondering what they meant by first pick and which one Molly wanted, Raph only had to wait a few moments before Madison's song voice filled the bedroom and seeped out of the crack he was listening through. She had a beautiful crisp and clear voice and the light hearted song bounced off the walls of the room, making it seem much more cheery than it probably was…

_O danse mon moin' danse, tu n'en-tends pas la danse _

_Danse mon moin' danse, tu n'en-tends pas la danse _

_Ah! Si mon moine voulait danser! ..._

"French."

Raph yelped and jumped near six feet in the air when he realized Splinter was standing right next to him with a much humored expression on his face, "M...Master Splinter?"

"The song young Madison is singing," the ancient one smiled. "It is French."

"O…oh? What is she saying?"

"Oh dance my monk, dance. With me you should dance. I will give you anything if you will dance," he said. "Oh course I could be a little off in my translation. French never was one of my better languages." Splinter eyed the turtle knowingly. "Something troubles you, my son." It wasn't a question.

Raphael looked at his beloved master and father. He could never remember a time where Master Splinter had punished him for nothing he didn't deserved. Splinter had always been fair and understanding with his decisions and while he was very firm he was gentle, "I just don't get it, Sensei." He said. "I don't get why some stupid perverted son of a bitch was allowed to hurt 'em like that. The kid don't even talk for cryin' out loud! Just thinkin' 'bout it pisses me off!"

"Calm your self, my son," Splinter laid a boney hand on the reptile's broad shoulder. "We can not fathom the reasons behind the evils of a cruel man but what we can do is protect them."

"She plans to gettin' 'em outta here the second she's better. Someplace safe."

"Then we must prove to her that here is the safest place for the children and her," he said softly. "Talk to her, my son. Have patience with her, for remember she has had to fight very hard up until this moment and letting her defenses down may take time."

"We ain't gotta lot of that, Sensei."

"Then find a way to make some," the old rat's eyes gleamed with mischief. "I must retire. Good night, my son."

"Night, Sensei," Raph suddenly remembered something. "Uh, Sensei?"

"Yes, Raphael?"

"What dose 'féminin' mean?"

The old rat smiled, "Family." Than disappeared into his room.

Raphael went and threw himself on the beaten up couch. Leo and Donny had gone out on patrol and he had no frikkin' clue where Mikey was. Not that he really cared; the goof ball didn't need to see him with his shell in a twist. He grabbed the remote and TV guide. Nothing really jumped out at him so he settled for the MASH rerun marathon. It was several hours later during a set of commercials when he heard someone behind him. He turned around to see Madison standing behind him, holding a tattered book and a pen in her hands and looking very sheepish, "Can I sit down?"

"I ain't gonna stop ya."

Madison took a seat on the other side of the couch and sat there for a minute. They both shifted uncomfortably in the alone silence of the muted commercials, "Whatcha watchin'?"

"MASH."

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"Shouldn't you?"

"Tried," she said, shifting again, "Couldn't."

"Why?"

"I slept all day today, I'm not tired," Madison lied. Truth was she was exhausted but she didn't need to tell him that she was afraid to sleep because every time she closed her eyes her father's haunting face was right there sneered at her. Setting her book on the cluttered coffee table but fiddled with the pen. "Um…Raphael, look I'm sorry 'bout the…"

"Ah save it already, s'okay," Raph cut her off. "Don't need tah get all mushy and crap over it; I was actin' like a jack ass and ya didn't take it. You put me in my place."

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that.

"Nah, they were some pretty good come backs now that I think on it."

"Um…thanks," Madison said, looking down. "Um look… I… you see… it's just that we've been through a lot and I just…"

"Hey," Raph said. "Ya don't have to explain it to me. Kaylin told me 'bout the shit you guys put up with."

"She did, did she?"

"Ah chill, I'm glad she told me. I don't like bein' left out of the loop. I get why ya are the way ya are so let's just forget it and move on alright? Ya can't keep fightin' if yer all distracted."

Madison arched an eyebrow, "Ok…"

"So we cool?"

Madison chuckled, "Yeah, we're cool."

"And for the record," he said. "You can call me 'Raph.'"

"Raph it is then," she smiled, picking up her book and opening it.

"What's that?"

"My mother's old journal," she said not looking up from her hand that was writing neat penmanship on the page. "Before she died she gave it to me and I've been writing in it ever since."

"Oh…" Raph said trying to find a way to change the subject. "So er… I hear ya got a great right hook..."


	5. Chapter 4: Morning After

**Chapter 4: The Morning After **

An odd yet sensational smell awoke Raph from the couch the next morning. He had opted to just sleep there instead of in Mikey's room last night. He'd strike a deal with Mike today and then he'll consider bunking with the goof ball but not before then. At first, Raph rolled over, refusing to move from his spot until Leo or Master Splinter dragged him off of it for practice but the smell was making his stomach growl so he pushed himself off the couch and stumbled towards the kitchen. Stealing a glance at the clock he groaned. 6 am. Whatever was cooking had better be good.

He was expecting to see Mikey bent over the stove; cooking was his thing. It took the red banded turtle a few seconds of rubbing his eyes to realize that the figure bending over the stove was not Mikey but rather the slender form of Madison. It slightly confused him as to why she was up at this time. It looked like she had been up for awhile too. Judging from that fact that the kitchen was now clean and there was an elaborate set up on the table, not to mention she looked like she was cooking a breakfast feast she must have gotten up around 4:30 or 5 am to do all this. That seemed strange to him because she had finally gone back to bed around 3:30 last night. Jeez did this girl ever sleep? She didn't seem tired.

Her brown hair was pulled back into a long braid and her shorts were barely visible underneath her extra large sleeping shirt. His eyes trailed up her badly bruised but pale legs and on up her body. He saw her wince a little when she rubbed the back of her calf with her other foot, obviously upsetting one of the bruises. Raphael gritted his teeth at the sight of all the scars and cuts that covered her other wise slender legs. The thought of how she got them really made him mad. She pushed a pair of glasses that he hadn't seen her wear yet back up on to the bridge of her nose and was humming some sort of song. Not realizing that he was there, the hum broke into actual words and she began to sway and move as she pushed something around in a frying pan on the stove.

"Whoa."

Raph jumped (he had to stop doin' that!) and whirled around to see Mikey and Donny staring at Madison too. He watched their eyes sweep up and down her body just as his did.

"Knock it off, you guys," he growled, giving Mike a shove causing him to bump into Donny. "You wanna stare at somethin' go watch TV."

Madison's ear perked up and she turned around with the frying pan in hand. Smiling she said in a chipper voice, "Good Morning. Want some breakfast?"

"Sure," Mikey and Donny practically sprinted for the table. Raph took his time getting there and sat in the chair facing her and the stove.

"I'm usually the one stuck cookin' for everyone," Mikey chirped.

"Well while I'm here I thought I might as well try and help you guys out some how," Madison said, spooning some scrambled eggs and bacon on to three plates. "Anyone want a pancake?" The turtles nodded and watched as she dished a pancake on to each plate before setting them down in front of each turtle, "Enjoy."

"Chocolate chips!" Mikey exclaimed, grabbing his fork. "No way! Sweet!"

"Better than the slop Mikey usually forces us to eat," Raph smirked.

"Hey!"

"Kidd'in, Mikey, kidd'in!"

"Yeah, right."

"What is that intoxicating scent?" Master Splinter asked in a humored voice as he entered the kitchen fallowed by Leonardo.

"Good morning, Leo, Master Splinter," Madison smiled. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Sure," Leo said, taking a seat between Donny and Raph.

"You are very kind to do this for us, Miss Miller," Splinter said, also taking a seat. "Though, you may have just permanently bonded yourself to this task. Except for Michelangelo, to get my sons to cook is difficult."

"I highly doubt I've bonded myself to anything," Madison said setting a plate in front in each new comer. "It's just been awhile since I have been able to really cook something. I usually just put a can of soup on because that was all we could afford but I figured that since you already had the stuff that I'd just fry it up so you didn't have to. We owe you guys our lives, the least I can do is make you breakfast. And you can call me Madison if you like. Good Morning Molly."

All five heads turned to see the small child walk through the door rubbing her eyes sleepily. They smiled at her standing there in her little yellow pajamas and bare feet. It puzzled them that Madison had not even seen her walk in yet knew that she was there. It puzzled them even more that an 8 year old was up at 6:30 in the morning!

Madison put her spatula down and went over and knelt down to the child, "Good morning, Sleepy head," she smiled. Molly looked at her with her bright green eyes and sleepily wrapped her arms around Madison's neck so that Madison could hoist her up in to her arms and walk over to the table. "Are you hungry, sweetie?" Molly nodded. "Well we'll just sit you down next to…oh…" Madison noticed that all the chairs were taken up. "Uhhh……Honey, I think you might need to…" Molly blinked a few times before squirming her way out of Madison's arms. Her little feet pattered lightly on the cement floor as she walked over and crawled up into Raphael's lap, shocking the heck out of everyone. Molly, of course said nothing, but just looked at Madison who questioningly set a plate next to Raph's. "Um Raph…could you cut her pancake for her please."

"Er…sure…" Raph quickly cut the pancake, shooting his brothers dirty looks for their snickering.

"Is Uncle Raphie-poo gonna cut little Molly's pannycake for her?" Mikey cooed, receiving a furious glare from Raphael.

"Shut up, Mikey," he snarled.

"Uncle Raph-poo shouldn't get mad or he might be a bad influence on little Molly-Wolly…"

"One more words, Mikey, and I swear…!"

"Michelangelo! Raphael! That is enough. My sons, please properly thank Miss Miller for your meal," Splinter said sternly, stopping the argument before it got out of hand. "Or would you rather dishonor her with your childish bickering at the table?"

"Sorry, Master Splinter," Mikey muttered. "Thanks, Maddy, this really is great."

"Yeah, thanks," Raph said.

"My pleasure," she smiled. "And don't sweat the bickering. I have four siblings, two of them pre-teens, I am used to bickering."

"Just because you are use to a certain action does not mean that you must continuously endure it," Splinter said with a knowing look.

Madison threw him a half smile over her shoulder. She knew he wasn't just talking about enduring the bickering of children, and she was suddenly regretting not getting properly dressed before coming to make breakfast. She was sure that the very visible wounds on her legs probably sparked the double meaning comment. She shook her head and concentrated on the bacon so that she didn't catch it on fire. She had missed cooking. She and her Mother had always cooked and baked together. Her mother had been an amazing chef. She could make just about anything and Madison did her best to learn everything she could from her mom. Madison secretly wanted to go to a culinary school, maybe open a small restaurant of her own where she could cook whatever she wanted all the time. Food brought people together and Madison liked that. She liked the thought of a real family setting.

Smiling over at her baby sister, who looked very content sitting in the mutant's lap, Madison almost wondered for a fleeting second what being a part of _this_ family, would be like. She dismissed the thought as quickly as it had come to her. _No,_ she thought. _Not happening._ She could not live in the sewers. A million and one things could happen to the kids down here if they went wondering around and knowing them like she did, she knew that they were not going to be satisfied staying in the Lair for the rest of their lives. No, she was going to make a life for herself and the children and she was going to open that restaurant. Shaking her head, she quickly turned her attention to a frying egg. She was snapped back out of her thoughts by Kaylin and Peter entering the kitchen bickering loudly. 6:50. Geez! Maybe they were just early risers by nature.

"You used the last of the toothpaste and your breath still smells!"

"It smells better than you do."

"And this coming from 'Mr. I think I'll go three weeks with out a shower.'"

"Shut up, Kaylin, or I'll…!"

"You'll what?"

Madison whirled around and pointed her spatula at them threateningly, "I'll do somethin' ta you both if you wake up Brian…" A sudden shrill crying was heard from Raphael's room. Madison frowned and the twins gulped, "Too late. Be right back…"

"I'll get 'im!" Mikey offered, quickly jumping out of his seat and practically bouncing out of the room. He returned moments later with the wide eyed infant. Brian's eyes darted around the room taking in the familiar scene. He smiled and gurgled a bit when Madison held her arms out for him. He leaned to her and she caught him in a loving embrace.

"Good morning, Mr. Brian," she cooed to him, picking up a bottle that she had prepared while Mikey was gone. "Someone was a very good boy last night and let Miss Madison get some sleep, oh yes he was."

The turtles had to chuckle at Madison's baby talk. She looked very comfortable with the baby in her arms as she rocked him to and fro as though he were her own child. She accepted the chair that Master Splinter held out for her so that she wouldn't have to feed Brian standing up while Kaylin and Peter, plates full, took the chairs that Mikey and Leo had abandoned. Master Splinter excused himself and left the room for his morning meditation.

"I'll help you clear, Madison," Donny said, starting to collect the used plates when everyone had finished.

"Oh no, Don, don't worry about that," Madison shot her brother and sister an annoyed look. "Peter and Kaylin will be happy to clean the kitchen, won't you, Guys?"

"Maddy!"

"Of course they could always start their studies early and I could clean the kitchen…"

"I call drying!" Peter leaped out of his chair and grabbed the dish towel, his twin sister looked rather angry.

"HEY! No fair, Peter!"

"Ya snooze ya loose, Sis."

"Why you little…!"

"Gee this sounds familiar," Leo chucked. "Ok guys, come on. Time for practice."

"Awww! Geez! Leeeoooo!" Mikey whined. "I'm full."

"Then maybe you shouldn't of stuffed your face with that fifth pancake, ya ding bat!"

"What do you guys practice?" Kaylin asked, looking up from having her brother in a head lock, ignoring Madison fierce demands that she let him go.

"Ninjitsu," Leo explained.

"Huh…?"

"They're ninjas, Kay," Madison said, setting Brian's bottle on the table. "And will you let Peter go already!"

"Oh," she replied. "Why didn't they just say that?"

"Wait a second!" Peter said, finally breaking out of Kaylin's hold. "You mean you guys know karate and stuff like that?"

"Well, yeah," Raph said, grinned. "Why? You interested in learning, kid?"

Madison saw that gleam in Peter's eyes. If these guys knew martial arts than he was probably going to take them up on that offer to teach him so that he could go back and… "No."

All eyes turned to Madison, Peter's eyes furrowed slightly, "Why not? You know martial arts."

"Well, yeah, but not as much as they do and I use mine for different purposes."

"You don't use them at all," Peter snapped. "Maybe if you had you wouldn't of gotten beaten up so much."

"Peter…!" Kaylin smacked her brother in the shoulder. Madison looked down for a moment. He was right; though fighting back would of cost her way to much. Not that he knew that. She ignored her brother's naive approach for as long as she could.

"… You know he would of left her alone if she had done something back!"

"And what would that of proved, Peter?" Madison nearly shouted, standing up in her chair. "That I could beat him up too? You know I am not as strong as he is by a long shot. And you know _damn_ well what could have happened had I fought back. He has a gun, Peter! A 9 mm semi-automatic hand gun. Did you know that? Do you wanna know why I know that? Do you know how many god damn times he waved that thing in my face threatening to kill you all! Do you have any idea how much I would have hated myself if you, or Kaylin, or Molly, or Brian died because I wanted to try and beat the hell out of him purely because I thought I could!"

The whole room went silent. The turtles' eyes were wide with shock at Madison's out burst. It was completely out of character from what they knew of her so far. Peter and Kaylin looked even more shocked, Molly was hiding behind Raphael.

"You…you just swore at me," Peter said, numbly.

Madison, put her non-used hand over her mouth, suddenly realizing where she was again, what she had just said and sat back down, "Peter…I…oh god…" Peter didn't say anything; he just quietly walked over, handed Brain to Leo and embraced his trembling sister who was fighting back the tears forming in her eyes, "Peter, I…"

"Shhhh, s'okay," he said, stroking her hair. "I'm sorry, Maddy. I didn't mean to make you so upset."

"Peter," Madison held him at arms length, staring him straight in the eye. "If you want to learn, fine, but please, I am begging you. I do not want to lose you. I don't want to lose any of you."

"You won't lose any of us, Maddy," he said, kissing his sister on the forehead. "Yer stuck with us whether you want us or not."

Madison gave a small smile and hugged her brother once more, "You two never mind the dishes, I'll take care of it. Go and change if you plan on working out with the guys," the twins gave Madison a bone crushing hug and ran from the room. Madison got up and took Brian back from Leo, "I'm sorry, you really didn't need to see that."

"Don't sweat it," Leo said, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "If you really don't want us teaching them..."

"No, it's not that," she said. "It's just that, well, as you can tell Peter has a lot of anger toward our dad about what happened to us. We all do but Peter is the most likely to take action because of it. He told me once that he wanted to learn karate so that he could go back and show our father..."

"That doesn't really sound good…"

"He needs an outlet for his anger," Madison said. "So I guess this is as good as any but please, if nothing else, teach him some restraint on that temper of his."

"We will," Donny said. "Don't worry about it. You can talk to Master Splinter about showing Peter how to calm his anger down a bit."

"Yeah, I mean he's been able to keep Raph on almost normal levels for almost 20 years now! And Peter is waaay smarter than Raph so he should have no problem…" Mikey laughed and ducked from Raph's fist.

"Watch it, Mikey!"

Madison laughed as Raph chased Mikey out of the room; Molly fallowed them with Donny right behind her. She stopped Leo though, "Um, Leo, one more thing…"

"Yeah?"

"You do know that we're leaving as soon as I'm better right?"

"Yeah."

"It's obvious that Peter already looks up to you guys and I don't want him getting hurt when we have to leave and so I just…"

"You know you don't have to leave right?"

"Leo, come on, think about it," Madison said. "Ten people living in this place? We have completely kicked you guys out of your rooms. You don't even have enough chairs for us all to sit down for breakfast. And Brian can't sleep on the floor on a mat."

"We have storage rooms that we don't really use anymore," Leo said. "Several of them. Big enough to be bed rooms."

Madison sighed in temporary defeat, "You'd better go practice. I don't want Master Splinter getting angry with you on my account."

Leo sighed but left with out saying anything further. Madison laid a blanket out on the floor with several baby toys on it for Brian to occupy himself with while she cleaned the dishes, all the while unsuccessfully forbidding her self to think about staying. They couldn't. They just couldn't.


	6. Chapter 5: Surprise

**Chapter 5: Surprise **

"Kaylin, check your feet," Leo corrected the young teen on her fighting posture.

"Like this?" she asked.

"Yep," he said. "Now deliver two swift punches into Mikey's hands…Good."

"Man, you got a heck of a punch, li'l dudette," Mikey laughed, shaking some feeling back into one of his hand.

"How's this, Raph?" Peter asked, kicking the punching bag.

"Good form but try and get your leg higher," he said.

"It hurts to get it any higher than that."

"Well, if you had stretched properly when we started it wouldn't hurt as bad," Don chuckled.

"Oh shut up…"

Master Splinter smiled to himself at the scene laid before him. His sons had taken a genuine liking to teaching the twins ninjitsu. Molly was, of course, sitting on the mat next to him watching the others intently.

"Would you like to join them, Molly?" he asked softly. The little girl just looked at him and shook her head. "I think you would enjoy it." He encouraged. Molly just shook her head again and turned her attention back to her siblings and his sons training. The children had been with them for almost two weeks now and in that short two weeks the twins, appearing to be very fast learners, had quickly picked up on many of the ninja ways. He had hoped that Molly and Madison would join but Molly refused to leave his side when Raphael was busy and Madison always insisted that she was busy with Brian or some other house hold chore. Though he had to admit that the Lair had never been cleaner, Master Splinter had a gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach that young Madison was going out of her way to specifically avoid coming in the dojo when others were present. He had seen her in here before though.

A few nights ago he awakened in the wee hours of the morning by a strange noise. Leaving his room, he thought at first it might have been Raphael snoring away on the couch. After only one night he bluntly refused to share a room with Michelangelo any further. The sound was different however; like a swift thumping. He found Madison in the dojo attacking the punching bag violently. He would have gone in and spoken to her but decided against it, even from his distance he could see in her eyes what she that she was letting loose what she tried so desperately to hide most of the time. He knew her dreams haunted her, he had heard her cry out many times in the night. Letting her get her anger out on that bag rather than an alternative was probably best. _'Though,'_ he admitted with a small grin, _'her skills, however unpolished, would probably give my sons a run for their money.' _

"Are guys done torturing my brother and sister yet?" came Madison humored voice from behind the dojo door.

"Torture?" Kaylin asked, dodging an attack from Don. "Are you kidding! This is fun!"

"Fun?" Raph half laughed. "Yo, Leo! The Jackie Chan-wanna-be here thinks this is fun. I think we need to up their training a bit."

"Not a bad idea."

"Well up their training tomorrow," Madison chuckled. "Dinner is ready and they haven't done their other training yet today."

"Other training?" Peter asked, wiping his sweaty face with a towel.

"Your school work," Madison said lightly, turning around and walking away, avoided the groans and whining from her brother and sister. "They are just as important as this if not more so." She called over her shoulder.

"Your sister is right," Splinter said rising from his spot. "Now let us go and enjoy the meal she has prepared for us."

They all made their way to the kitchen and sat down at the table. Mikey, Don and Peter had gone out the other night and found several more chairs at the dump so that they could all sit down and eat together. A few adjustments to each and they were ready to go. They'd even some how found a highchair for Brian, which Madison was greatly relieved to have. With the exception of having a few minor problems, which Donny fixed with out a hassle, the thing was practically brand new. Geez…the things people threw out. Having the kids around the lair had had an interesting affect on the brothers. Raph was actually swearing less, although at first that could have been due to the fact that Madison threatened to tell Master Splinter about his stash of inappropriate magazines that she found hidden under his bed. Of course when Madison caught him letting Peter look at them all hell broke loose. The two were still recovering from the training punishment Splinter and Madison gave them. The magazines were immediately burned despite Raphael's sorrowful pleas and outbursts.

Mikey had taken probably the greatest interest in caring for Brian. On more than one occasion Madison had laughed herself stupid while watching Mike try and feed Brian. Whenever Mikey tried feeding Brian he would always emerge from the ordeal cover from head to foot in the processed Gerber baby mush.

"Aw, come on, li'l dude!" Mikey said failing for the fifth time to get Brian to open his mouth. "It's good for you! Mmmmm! Smell them stewed asparagus!"

"Stewed asparagus?" Raph wrinkled his nose in disgust. "It's no wonder the kid won't eat it!"

"Oh give me a break, Raph," Madison snapped, dishing some potatoes on to Don's plate. "He's a baby. One flavor is the same as the next to him."

"Then why ain't he eatin' it?"

"Because he is being stubborn infant," she said, "Much like another certain someone I know,"

Raphael scowled but ignored her comment, "I think it's because the kid is smarter than ya take 'im for and knows no one in their right mind would eat that crap."

"You're distracting him, Raph, shut up and eat your own food."

"You say you love the kid but you force 'im to eat that stuff! That is just plain cruel! It's a shock he don't freak out every time you put 'im in that chair, knowing what's comin'."

"One more word, Raph, and I swear…"

"Brace yourself," Kaylin muttered to Leo as the bickering continued and started to escalate. "This could get messy."

"… Oh yeah!" Raph exclaimed. "Alright than you eat it and tell me it ain't no different."

"Fine!" Madison snapped, practically slamming the bowl in her hands down on the table. "But you're trying it with me, Mr. I know everything about raising kids."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"FINE!"

"Better 'im than me," Peter said smugly under his breath to Don.

"I heard that, Peter Ronan," Madison snapped, retrieving two spoons from the drawer. "And don't think you aren't still in it deep for those magazines." Peter grumbled at his plate while Madison spooned out the green mush onto the two spoons and handed one to Raphael, "On the count of three, one… get ready to eat your words…"

"Two... bite me, babe."

"Three!" They both shoved the spoons into their mouths at the same time. It took them all of five seconds to make horrified faces and run to the sink to spit the gunk out, trying to shove each other out of the way in order to use the faucet. Everyone else in the room started laughing hysterically. Kaylin was laughing so hard she fell off her chair and landed on top of Leo, who was already on the floor gasping for breath. Madison, wiping her mouth with her sleeve, marched over and snatched the jar out of Michelangelo's hand and immediately threw the vile substance in the trash along with the spoon. Nothing touched by that stuff was worth saving.

"Brian, I am so sorry!" she exclaimed, still gagging. The child laughed and clapped his hands.

"I told you!" Raph yelled his head still under the faucet. "_'Oh no, Raphael, I know what's best for the little twerp because I am Madison and I know everything there is to know about feeding poor defenseless children nasty ass processed baby mush!'_…" Madison glared at him. She marched over and grabbed the rinser nozzle next to the tap, pulled it out and fired water right at Raphael face. "HEY!"

"The taste gone yet, Raphie boy!" she shouted.

The room was rolling by now at the sight of Raph trying to wrestle the nozzle away from Madison but was only succeeding in creating a giant mess and soaking himself and her further. Even Master Splinter was laughing uncontrollably, and when the two bickering water logged opponents slipped on the puddle of water and landed in a tangled up heap on the floor, STILL bickering, he too fell off his chair on to the laughing pile of Kaylin and Leo. By the time the two had resolved the issue and were also laughing, the entire kitchen and everyone in it was soaked; dinner was destroyed.

"I'll call April and have her grab us a couple of pizzas," Don said, still chocking down some more laughter, getting out from under the table where he had taken cover.

"Tell 'er to get olives!" Madison called over her shoulder, pushing herself off the ground but slipping on water at least twice on the way up. She had met April and her husband Casey about a week ago and the two had become instant friends. She was kind enough to take Madison topside today to go shopping for groceries and other things. Molly went with them but the twins opted to stay behind.

"And pepperoni!" Kaylin called from her spot on Leo's plastron. Master Splinter had regained his bearing and was seated back in his chair.

"We're mutants, not barbarians!" Don's voice thundered from the other room. "Of course with pepperoni and olives!"

"Alright," Madison said, helping Raph up. "Leo, you grab a mop, Mikey, Peter, you two get towels, Raph, turn the water off and Kay and Molly, start scraping this food into the trash," everyone groaned but got up and went about their tasks all the same. "And Master Splinter, if you wouldn't mind taking and getting Brian out of these wet clothes I would be much obliged."

"Of course," Splinter took the child from the chair and left the room with a small smirk on his face. He got out of having to help to clean up. Donny came back a few moments later and was immediately put to work as well, much to his dismay. An hour later, when the kitchen was finally clean and everyone dried off, April and Casey walked through the door holding several pizzas and a few cases of soda.

"Hey, Guys," April smiled. "What's up?"

"Not much," Kaylin said, taking the pizzas from her. "Did you get the pepperoni?"

"Yeah it's the third on down," April chuckled. "Hey, Madison."

"Hi, April," she smiled, giving the red head a hug. "You guys staying for pizza?"

"We didn't climb all the way down here and walk through all these tunnels to just drop it off and leave," Casey said, flipping open a box, grabbing a slice, and shoving it in his mouth. "Imf sarvfink!"

Madison laughed and grabbed a slice herself before sitting down to talk with April. It didn't take very long for the pizzas to disappear. Mikey and Peter were engaged in a highly competitive belching contest, complements of the soda, while Raph, Casey and Kaylin had begun to yell at the hockey game referee on TV for a bad call he made. Leo had retreated with Master Splinter to the dojo to do some katas and meditation; Molly had fallowed them. Donny and April had disappeared to his lab; he had been dieing to show her some new gadget of his that he had been working on for a while. It wasn't till Brian had completely nodded off in Madison's lap did she realize the late hour.

"Guys, it's time for bed," Madison announced.

"But there's still 3 minutes left in the game and we're down by two goals!" Kaylin protested.

"Kay, it's almost 11 o'clock," Madison said firmly. "It is time for bed. Go and get Molly."

Kaylin grumbled, but when Donny, who had returned with April, whispered something in her ear her face lit up and she immediately jumped up and ran to get Molly. Madison arched an eye brow when she suddenly realized everyone was suddenly grinning at her. Even Splinter, Leo and Molly were smiling when they came back in, "Did I miss something?"

"We have something to show you," Peter said, taking Brain out of her arms and passing him to Don. Then he and Kaylin grabbed her by the arms and dragged her across the Lair with everyone following. Peter covered her eyes and led her around for a few moments before they finally stopped.

"Alright you guys, what is going on," Madison sounded more annoyed than she actually was.

"For once just trust us, ok?" she heard Raphael say behind her.

She heard the creaking of a door and was, to her guess, lead through it, "Will you guys clue me in here already?" she asked.

"Alright, but you have to close your eyes first."

"Peter!"

"Just do it already!"

"Ug, fine they're closed." Madison felt Peter and Kaylin step away from her. "Guys?"

"Ok, open 'em!"

Madison opened her eyes and her chin dropped. She was standing in a fairly decently decorated nursery. There was a changing table, and a crib, even a rather large floor rug. The walls were painted a mix of yellow and pale blue with splashes of pink in various places. On one side of the wall there was a small regular bed that Molly had gone over and jumped on, obviously claiming it as her own. She grabbed what looked like a well loved stuffed bunny rabbit, hugged it close, and smiled at Raphael, who looked away with hint of blush in his cheeks. Madison couldn't do anything except stand there with her mouth open. She felt Kaylin grab her hand again, "There's more."

Madison hardly had time to question before she was dragged out of the room and into one right next to it. There she found two more beds. The walls were painted in a cheerful blue and assorted posters covered the walls. Small bed side tables with lamps on them sat next to each bed, an alarm clock on one of them. A furry off white rug lay in between the two beds and a desk with another lamp on it sat at the end of one of the beds with a dresser at the end of the other.

"I have a room right next door," Peter's voice cut through Madison's in state of shock. "And we're trying to find some more dressers…"

Madison, who was only half listening, fingered the books on the shelf she had found in another corner, tears forming in her eyes.

"So what do you say, Maddy…"

"Huh?"

"What do you say," Kaylin asked, hope swirling in her blue eyes. "Can we stay?"

"We worked all day on it while you were gone," Donny said.

Madison shot April a stare who smiled sneakily. She just smiled back.

"Please, Madison?" Peter pleaded.

"Yeah, come on, Madison!" Mikey chimed in.

Madison stood there for a moment, looking at each smiling, hope filled face, not knowing what to do. All she had ever wanted to do was to find a safe place for her family to be happy. A place where they didn't have to be afraid anymore and could go and come as they pleased with out having to worry about someone wanting to beat the heck out of them. She promised Mama. She promised that she would take them some place safe some day. When a sudden warmth appeared in her hand, Madison looked down and saw Molly's pleading hazel eyes looking back up at her as she squeezed her hand gently. Madison smiled, bent down and hugged the child. She picked Molly up and faced the group again. _'This is that place, isn't, Mom?' _

"Alright," she smiled. "We'll stay."


	7. Chapter 6: Never Going Back

**Chapter 6: Never Going Back **

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Two weeks had passed since everyone surprised Madison with the rooms (they had begun to decorate 'em!) and she and the children had settled into a wonderful contentment living with the turtles. Brian now cried whenever Mikey left, and Molly seemed glued to Raphael's hip 24/7. The turtles' kindness towards the children and her self was a completely foreign concept to them. They never yelled at the kids, not once had she seem them raise a hand to the children, not even in practice when they were learning to spar; and even with Madison's injuries, Donny made sure his touch was as soft as feathers. It had turned out, half her wounds were infected from lack of proper care but Donny was keeping a close eye on them with his expertise and she was fast on her way to making a full recovery. With how gentle and kind he was being, taking extra caution to cause her as little pain as possible, that Madison often found herself needlessly apologizing for decking him when they first met. Peter had taken to sitting in on her check ups with Donny.

"You certainly take an interest in this kinda thing, Peter," Donny said one day after cleaning Madison's cuts again.

"Well, I'm usually the one who takes care of Maddy's cuts and whatever," he shrugged. "I'm just wanna make sure you ain't makin' it worse."

"Aha," Donny chuckled.

"Peter is a wonderful doctor," Madison smiled at her little brother as she re-donned her shirt, taking some delight in seeing him blush a bit by the compliment.

"I do what I can," he blushed.

"You ever think about becoming a real doctor some day?" Donny asked.

"Once or twice," he admitted, not seeing another smile spread across his sister's face.

Most of her bruises had begun to fade but she knew the scars from the cuts would be there for life. The bruise on Peter's cheek was almost completely gone, although it had been replaced by several more from having to spar with Kaylin in their daily practices. Molly seemed to be following Raph just about everywhere except maybe the bathroom. He usually didn't seem to mind until Mikey would start to give him crap about going soft. Most of the time though, when Madison peered up over one of her books and watched the two families reclining around the T.V., Molly was almost always curled up in a ball on Raph's lap sucking her thumb and clutching the stuffed rabbit he had given her. Occasionally she would reside herself with Master Splinter but despite how light she was, he was just far too old to be able to let her sit in his lap for so long.

Madison smiled with just a little ping of jealousy. Molly had always come to her in the past and now she wasn't, but she knew that this was a very positive step for the little girl. Molly hadn't needed to take her medicine in almost two weeks so whatever Splinter and Raph were doing for her, she was going to encourage it. She had completely taken on the task of cooking and a majority of the cleaning despite Don's furious protests. Madison just brushed his objections off. She had to be doing something. If she wasn't able to work and keep her mind off everything she was going to...

She didn't let herself think about what happened because she wasn't sure what would. She just needed to be able to do something and preferred to stay away from the dojo when people were around because she knew that if she just completely lost it she wouldn't be able to stop. She still woke up every night to her father's cruel sneer and taunting voice insisting that he was going to find them. Her dreams started becoming more and more real. So real that she could have sworn that he was in the room with them and tried to grab her. When she woke up screaming and every one woke up and came running in she apologized and lied, saying that she woke up and there was a spider on her face. She knew she hadn't fooled Master Splinter with the lie but he didn't press the matter any further and ordered everyone back to bed.

"You ok, Maddy?"

Madison's head snapped up in surprise at Mikey's voice and she smiled, "Hmm? Oh yeah, why?"

"You just seem kinda, I dunno, withdrawn."

Don looked up from the TV in mild surprise, "Since when have you used the word 'withdrawn'?"

Mikey laughed, "It's today's word on my 'Word of the day' Ziggy Calendar."

Madison chuckled and rolled her eyes, "What time is it?"

"About 11:30."

"I'd better go get lunch started," Madison said getting up. "Not one word, Donatello!"

Donny immediately shut his mouth and refrained from telling her that she should sit back down, "How does she do that?"

"We've givin' up trying to figure out. She's got super powers or somethin' like that," Kaylin muttered, not tearing her eyes from the hockey game on the TV. "Ah come ON! What the hell kinda call was that?"

"KAYIN JANETTE MILLER!" shrieked a voice from the kitchen causing everyone to wince. "WHAT have I told you about swearing around Brian and Molly!"

"Sorry, Madison."

"Oooo…" Peter jeered. "Somebody got the middle name!"

"Shut up, Peter Ronan, or a certain older sister is gonna find out you've been sneaking topside with Raph at night," Kaylin snarled. Peter immediately shut his mouth.

In the kitchen, Madison was frowning at what she found, or rather didn't find for that matter. There wasn't really much left in the cupboards and fridge except maybe peanut butter and jelly, a carton of milk, random condiments and a tub of Mikey's homemade cookie dough ice cream. They had eaten all of what had been in the kitchen and the groceries she had bought with her had been gone awhile ago. She closed the fridge with the jar of jelly in her hand and began making PB & J sandwiches for everyone. Madison addressed Splinter about it during lunch.

"So if it's ok I would like to go grocery shopping later today," she finished.

"I am not sure that is a wise idea at the moment, Madison," Master Splinter said.

"Why not?" she asked.

"May we please speak about this else where?"

"Sure."

Madison followed Splinter out of the kitchen, only having to flash a short glance at Kaylin and Peter for them to sit back down. Once out of ear shot Madison asked, "Is something the matter?" She couldn't imagine why he would object to her going top side. After all she had been topside many times in the past few weeks to go shopping and things like that. They had all even gone to the park the other night.

"My sons came across this flyer last night while on patrol," Splinter said pulling a folded piece of paper out of his tattered kimono and handing it to her. Madison took the flyer and opened it. Her eyes quickly scanned the page before narrowing dangerously. The flyer had the word MISSING written in big bold letters up at the top and a picture of the children, herself and their mother just below it. The information underneath described each one of them and a personal note from their father about how much he missed them and wanted them back home.

"_'After the death of my beloved wife, our precious children were the only things I had left. There is no one who loves my kids more than I do and knowing that they are out there somewhere possibly starving and shivering rips me apart. Please, if you have any information call…'_ $2,000 a kid! THAT SON OF A BITCH!" Madison ripped the flyer into confetti and crumpled up what ever large piece allowed her to do so. "'Beloved wife'. 'Precious children'. 'No one loves them more than I do'! BULL!" Madison looked livid as she stormed off ranting. "Did the hooker down at the Piggily Wiggily grow some self respect or something? You sick little f…!"

Master Splinter shook his head sadly but chose not to follow her. Sometimes a person just needed to vent and even with how little he knew of her actual past, he figured she had a lot to vent about. He returned to the kitchen silently. The twins and Molly looked up immediately.

"Where's Madison?" Kaylin asked. "She ok?"

"Your sister will be fine, my children," Splinter said softly. "She has just learned of some rather disturbing information and needs some time to decide what to do about it. I recommend that you all leave her to her thoughts for the time being."

The children nodded.

"That goes double for you, Michelangelo," he shot over his shoulder to the youngest turtle who was trying to leave.

"What?" Mikey exclaimed, whirling around looking slightly guilty. "I was just going to er… clean my room."

"Than I shall escort you there on my way to my meditation."

Mikey groaned.

Leonardo was making his way past the dojo towards the kitchen when he heard the sounds of someone practicing. "Maybe hell has finally frozen over and one of the guys is actually taking their Ninjitsu training seriously," he chuckled to himself. Opening the sliding door just a crack, Leo was shocked at first to see Madison inside brutally attacking the punching bag with a vengeance, swearing loudly to her self. Her moves were swift and hard. She didn't look it but she was fast, and she was strong. Leo saw her land a punch that nearly sent the bag off its roof support.

"YOU... CAN'T... HAVE... THEM!" she screamed at the bag. Looking around the room quickly, herself looking quite rabid, she ripped a pair of Sais of the wall and stormed back over to the bag. She lunged at the swinging bag with an almost battle like cry, not even flinching when the Sais' clashed with smooth sharp steel instead of the worn fabric of the punching bag. She turned her head and glared at Leo whose katana held her sai mere centimeters from the bag's skin. He nearly drew back from the look in her eyes. Her empty green eyes were filled with wrath, no trace of their former sweetness or gentleness could be seen at all. It was almost as though her soul had completely left her body. "You can't have them, you basterd." She seethed at Leo.

"What?"

"YOU CAN'T HAVE THEM!" Madison threw Leo's katanas off her sai and got into a fighting stance. Before Leo could even blink Madison lunged herself at him with the fury of a thousand men.

"Madison! Whoa! Madison, snap out of it!" Leo barely dodged her attacks, meeting the short blades with his own several times. " Madison it's me! It's Leo!"

"Yer never touching them again!"

'How am I suppose ta her snap outta it with out hurtin' her?' Leo asked himself. He narrowly blocked one her sai thrusts with his katana. "Madison! Stop it! AAHHH!" Madison brought the other Sais down giving Leo with a large gash across his arm, blood seeped down his arm. With in seconds she had him flat on his shell, her foot on his plastron and the sai in her hand at his throat.

"I'll kill you!" she screamed. "You don't deserve to live!"

" Madison, please!" he exclaimed. "It's me!"

"Go to hell," she seethed and brought the sai back. Leo closed his eyes and waited for Madison to plunge the blade into him, but the pain never came. He suddenly felt Madison ripped off of him. He opened his eyes and saw Donny and Raph holding Madison up against the wall, she screamed and swore and thrashed about like a demonic cat from hell trying to fight for its life. Her sai lay lifeless on the floor next to his head. He sighed in relief as Mikey appeared at his side, helping him up. "LET ME GO!"

"Not on your life, Babe," Raph said trying to hold her back. She was stronger than she looked so it was taking a lot of his strength to keep her back. "What the hell is wrong with you, girl!"

"I won't let him hurt them anymore!" Madison's voice dripped with venom. "We're never going back! You hear me! NEVER! I won't let him take them back! Let me go!"

"Maddy!" Kaylin and Peter ran into the dojo. "What are you doing to her! Let 'er go!"

"You outta ya mind, Kay!" Raph exclaimed "Yer darling sister just tried to knock off Leo!"

"What are you kidding?" Peter snapped. "We're talkin' 'bout Madison here!"

"Peter," Kaylin said, her eyes moving over Leo's arm. "Look."

"What…?"

"Oh god, she… oh god…" Kaylin ran over to Madison before finishing her sentence or Peter could reply. She grabbed Madison face in her hands, "Maddy! Maddy, it's me! It's Kaylin! Maddy, stop it! Please!" She threw her arms around Madison's trashing body and held her tightly, refusing to let go no matter how hard her sister flailed. Peter caught on and sprinted over to do the same. They held her tightly and shouted for her to stop until her trashing died down and Don and Raph were able to let her go. Madison was breathing hard and her eyes faded back into reality as she slumped to the floor.

"K...Kay?" she looked around as if she had no idea what was going on or where she was. "Peter?"

" Madison," Kaylin looked her sister in the eye. "Maddy? What happened? What did you do?"

"I…I don't know," she said, her body shaking violently. "I...I saw him! Oh God, Kay, I swear I saw him! I heard his voice!" she grabbed Kaylin's shoulder. "He won't get you!"

"Of course he won't, Maddy, what are you talking about?"

"I swear I won't let him get you! He'll never touch any of you every again! Molly! Oh my god! Where is Molly!"

" Madison, calm down!"

"No, I have to find…!"

"Miss Miller!" Master Splinter appeared in the door way with Molly holding his hand. He rushed to her side and cupped her sweating and near hysterical face. He grimaced at Madison's hollow eyes "Be still, my child. Be still." He held her gaze and stroked her hair. He started saying something in Japanese until she wasn't shaking quite as bad even though her destroyed eyes were clearly shaken down to their very cores. Splinter stroked her face gently with one paw. "Be at peace, dear child."

She muttered something no one else could hear before her eyes closed and she slumped forward into his arms.

" Madison!" Kaylin and Peter exclaimed as they pulled Madison in they own arms. "What's wrong with her! Why isn't she waking up?"

"She is very upset."

"OBVIOUSLY!"

"Donatello, Raphael, please take Madison to the infirmary and attend to her," Splinter ordered. "When she awakens alert me at once; a mild sedative might be needed."

Don and Raph nodded. Raph lifted Madison into his arms and left the dojo.

"Michelangelo, take the children."

"Sure, Sensei."

"WHAT!" Peter and Kaylin exclaimed. "Are you kidding!"

"Please, my young ones," Splinter said firmly. "You're sister needs to be tended to and Donatello will not be able to concentrate with all of you crowded around him."

The kids looked slightly angry but nodded respectfully and left with Mikey.

"Leonardo, please go and allow Donatello to tend to your arm."

"Yes, Master Splinter," Leonardo turned to go but paused. "Um… Master Splinter?"

"Yes, my son?"

"What happened to her?" he asked, clutching the rag Mikey had found for him to the place where Madison had gotten with the sai. "I came in, stopped her from trying to mutilate the punching bag and she attacked me like I was her worst enemy. I could see in her eyes…"

"What did you see?"

"Nothingness," he said. "It was like she was somewhere else fighting someone only she could see and I couldn't snap her out of it. She acted like I was someone else. Like she didn't even see me."

"I do not think she could, my son," Splinter said sadly.

"It was almost like she was in a trance. She seriously wanted me dead, Sensei. And she would of probably succeeded if Raph and Donny hadn't come in when they did."

"Her actions were not purely her fault, Leonardo," Splinter said softly. "Do not think that it was your blood she meant to spill." The old rat placed a weary paw on Leo's shoulder before exiting the dojo. Leo stood there for a moment, still clutching the rag to his arm. He stared at the small puddle of blood the gash has left on the dojo floor while he had been on his back; he gritted his teeth.

"What did he do to you, Maddy?"


	8. Chapter 7: Awaken from the Nightmare

**Chapter 6: Awaken from the Nightmare**

"_LET ME GO!" Madison thrashed madly as her father pinned her to the bed._

"_Did you honestly think you could get away from me?" he sneered, ripping at her clothes. "Now just shut up and take your punishment like a good little girl."_

"_Get your hands off me! You can't do this to me!"_

"_Oh but I can, Madison, I can," he laughed like the devil. "And when I'm done with you I can finish with them."_

_Madison__ turned her head just slightly and saw the half naked beaten bodies of Kaylin and Molly lying unconscious on the floor. "NOO!" she screamed. Her eyes widened when they caught sight of Peter's lifeless body laying face down on the opposite side of the room, a pool of blood forming underneath him._

"_WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THEM?"_

"_Nothing I'm not allowed too," he smirked. "Now…what oh what to do with brat here…"_

_Madison__ eyes grew with terror as a crying Brian suddenly appeared in her father's arms "Let him go! Please! I'll do anything!"_

"_Oh you'll do it anyway," he said moving over a newly placed window. "But it's just probably best if you don't have any distractions…" he let the child slip from his hands. Madison threw herself at the window but was caught by her father. Brian's bawling child form falling further and further from her, disappearing into nothingness._

"_NO! NO! NOOOOOOOO!"_

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Madison's eyes flew open and she launched her body upwards. She was caught by unknown arms. "NO! Get you hands off me! GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME!"

" MADISON!" shouted a familiar voice next to her. "It's me!"

Madison stopped trashing; the voice wasn't the cruel mocking sound of her father. She turned and saw the muscular green arms wrapped around her protectively; a blue ribbon along side her face, lightly brushing against her cheek, "L…Leo?"

"Yeah, it's me, Shhhh its ok, it's just me."

"Oh god… Leo, I heard him," she said, starting to shake again, her heat pounding like a frightened rabbit's. "I could feel him. He was grabbing me, ripping my clothes, laughing at me the whole time! Then I saw Molly and Kay and… oh my god! Where are the kids?"

" Madison, stop it! They're fine!" Leo said, keeping her from getting up. " Madison, if you don't hold still, you're going to hurt yourself."

"Please, Leo, I have to make sure…!"

" Madison, will you cut this out already!" he said, not fully letting her out of his embrace. "Your brothers and sisters are fine. You have got to knock this crap off or you're gonna kill yourself with worry and then where are those kids gonna be?"

Madison laid back down looking rather sheepish, "Where am I?"

"You're in the sick bay," said Don, as his shadowy figure appeared into the light. He was holding tray with a bottle of something and a syringe on it.

"What is that for?" Madison asked, her eyes narrowing.

"It's to help you," he said. "Calm you down."

"I am calm."

"I'm gonna give it to you all the same," he said, filling the needle. "You could use the rest since you for some reason have a habit of pushing yourself way to hard."

"You are not sticking that thing in me," she glared.

" Madison, it's gonna help you."

"I don't need it, Don," she snarled.

"Yes, Madison, you do, whether you think you do or not you do."

"Donny, you come any closer to me with that thing and I swear to god…"

"Miss Miller, that is enough," said a firm ancient voice from the door way. Master Splinter's face looked weary and worried but his eyes told her very bluntly to stay where she was. "Donatello is merely trying to help you. That is what we are all trying to do but you keep fighting us. Are you so hard now that you will not accept the help of those who have come to care very deeply for you or has your faith in our friendship been destroyed before it ever truly began?"

Madison looked away feeling very ashamed, "I…I'm sorry…" she laid back and allowed Don to finish preparing the shot.

"You need to allow us to help you, Madison," he said, walking over to the bed and resting his boney hand on hers.

"It's just… I'm not a big fan of needles…"

"You should see Raph," Don chuckled as he pierced her skin with the needle and pushed the contents within it out. Leo gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze when Madison winced and made a whimper sort of noise. She squeezed Master Splinter's hand hard and squeezed her eyes shut harder. "He is the biggest baby about shots."

"I heard that," muttered a gruff voice from a chair in the corner. "And I am not."

"Liar," Donatello muttered.

"Ah, shut up, Donny," he snarled, stretching in the chair he had been occupying for something close to six or seven hours now. Molly had fallen asleep in his lap awhile ago, clutching the stuffed rabbit he had givin her and sucking her thumb. His leg had fallen asleep and he was very stiff. Not in the mood to deal with sarcasm.

"Is that Molly?" Madison asked.

"Yeah," Raphael nudged Molly awake. Her green eyes fluttered open and she stared up at him, her thumb still in her mouth, "Hey, Kido, yer sister's up." Molly turned around and hopped off his lap, the rabbit stuffed up under her arm. She went over and crawled up on the bed, wedging her body into the nook of Madison's like she had done the first day they had met her. The little girl closed her eyes and looked as though she had instantly fallen back asleep. Madison hugged the little girl close, nuzzling the back of her head with her nose.

"He's not gonna take you away from me," she whispered so that the others couldn't hear. "I won't let him."

"You won't have to, Madison," Master Splinter said. Madison looked up at the old rat with a bewildered expression. He just smiled gently. "I am old, Miss Miller, not deaf."

Madison just chuckled slightly and laid back down, "I'm sorry to be so much trouble."

"It is no trouble, my child," Splinter said, patting her hand. "This is what a family does for one another." Madison looked at him with a pain expression. "You have had a very trying day, Madison; I believe that we should take our leave. I shall have Leonardo bring you some food then you may rest."

"We don't have anything left," Madison remembered as Leo disappeared out the door. "I was gonna go shopping but…"

"Ms. O'Neil and Mr. Jones were kind enough to bring some groceries down to us," Splinter replied, motioning his sons to leave. "Raphael…"

Raph looked over at his master and caught on to what his gaze was saying. He went over and scooped the child up off the bed. She woke up immediately and looked back over at Madison, and rubbed her eye sleepily.

"You listen to Raphael, Molly. Do what he tells you," Madison said. The little girl nodded. "Would you mind reading to her tonight?"

"No prob," he said, leaving the room. Molly waved to Madison over Raph's shoulder, her thumb still planted firmly in her mouth and the rabbit still tucked awkwardly under her arm.

"I've read to her every night since she was born…" Madison said aloud, absent mindedly, before she thought better of it. She blushed and looked away.

" Madison, will you please share with me what happened to you today," Master Splinter, kneeling next to her.

"I…I don't know," she said, half truthfully. "I guess…that flyer just really got to me."

"I think it is more than that," he said. "There must be. A flyer alone, no matter how upsetting, should not have the power to cause someone to lose all sense of reality and attack a loved one."

Madison's eyes widened, "I didn't hurt one of the kids did I?" she sounded panicked. _Stupid, Madison! Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ She screamed in side her head. _How could you lose control like that! Damn it!_

"No," he said. "Though you did try to eliminate one of my sons."

"What!" Madison exclaimed. "Master Splinter, I…I! I couldn't of! I…I didn't did I! Oh god! I didn't see Mikey…! "

"Michelangelo is in the kitchen caring for the children. It was not he whom you attacked but Leonardo," he said simply.

Madison looked horrified. She did remember wondering why he had a white bandage on his arm when she had first woken up, "Master Splinter, I am so sorry! I swear I didn't mean to, I don't even…"

"I do not blame you for this attack," he said, holding his hand up to stop her furious apologies. "But rather the cruelty your father inflicted upon you. I do not think that you knew who it was you were attacking."

"I…"

"What did you see?"

"I…" Madison looked away. She just couldn't. "I don't remember."

"I see," Master Splinter said. He could tell she was lying for the most part but did not want to push his luck by forcing her to tell him. She already seemed to find it difficult to trust them despite their attempts, not that he could entirely blame her. Even thinking about what her father must have done to her made his very blood boil. He wanted so very much to show her that not all fathers were so cruel. "I must go and tell the children that you are alright. If you need anything, please Madison, do not be afraid to ask."

"Yes, Master Splinter."

"We are your féminin now, Madison," he smiled gently at her wondered look. "You are safe."

Madison leaned into her pillow and mentally kicked herself over and over again after Splinter had left the room. How could she of been so stupid! How could she of lost control like that. UG! The very thought of it infuriated her. And she hurt Leo! If he had stitches because of her she would hate herself…

"Oh man, he must hate me," she groaned.

"I don't hate you," said a soft voice from the door way. Madison looked over and saw Leo standing in the door way with a tray of food. He walked over, set it down on the floor before kneeling next to the bed himself. Madison eyed the bandage and grimaced. He gave her a smile, "Don't sweat it I've had worse."

"I am so sorry," she said, biting back the urge to cry. "I never…"

"Hey, I said don't sweat it," he said, picking up a bowl of what looked like beef stew. "You hungry?"

"A little."

"Here," he said, dipping the spoon in and holding it out for her. Madison laughed a little.

"Leo, I'm not paralyzed, I can feed myself."

"True but that shot Donny gave you is gonna hit you any time now and when it does yer gonna go straight to sleep and when you do it would probably suck to be holding a steaming bowl of hot soup."

Madison laughed, "All the same, I'd feel weird having you feed me."

Leo didn't argue he just handed her the bowl. She picked up the spoon, blew on it and began to eat the delicious stew.

"My complements to the chief," she smiled.

Leo just gave her a half smile before sighing. He had a pondering look on his face. Like he wanted to ask something but wasn't sure if he should.

"Penny for your thoughts" Madison smiled over the bowl.

" Madison…why don't you trust us?" he asked.

Madison was completely taken back by this, "I…I do."

"You don't act like it," Leo said.

Madison frowned, "Well I do, whether you think so or not."

Leo just kept his other comments to himself. If she trusted them, she wouldn't freak out every 10 minutes about the kids, she wouldn't feel awkward about letting him feed her because she was not well. She would feel like she could tell them the truth about what ever bothered her.

"Oh geez…"

"What?"

"I forgot to have Peter and Kaylin do their assignments today," Madison said. She set the bowl down, threw back the covers and tried to get out of bed. Leo wrapped her in an embrace and wouldn't let her get up. "Leo! What are you doing, let me go will ya."

"No," he said firmly. "You need to for once not be so stubborn and stay in bed. We can do what you need to have done."

"But I'm the only one who…"

"No, Madison, you're not."

"Leo, please let me go."

"No."

"Let me go, Leo."

"No!"

"Leo!" Madison struggled a bit. She hated being retained like this, it was to much like… "Please! Let me go!"

" Madison, I am not letting you go."

"No! You don't understand! You…"

"I don't understand because you won't tell me," he snapped. "You won't tell anyone anything."

"There is nothing to tell, now let me…"

" Madison, for the love of god can you just trust us for thirty seconds!" Leo exclaimed.

"What are you talking about?" Madison said, trying harder to wiggle her way out of his embrace. "I already told you, I _do_ trust you guys."

"No, Madison, you don't!" he nearly yelled, holding her at a distance so that he could stare firmly into her eyes no matter how frightening they were. "You don't trust us! You don't trust anyone! Not even yourself. You are so caught up in your own pain that you aren't allowing yourself to heal. You are so determined to build a safety wall around you and your brothers and sisters to keep out your enemies that you're even refusing to let you allies in! Damnit, Madison, just trust us! We are NOT going to hurt you and we are NOT going to use your pain against you. Or Peter, or Kaylin, or Molly or Brian! You don't have to harbor all these feelings until you feel like you're gonna explode. You're all a part of this family now. And in this family we do not throw you to the wolves."

She must have been a sight to see. Her wild brown hair falling around her bewildered face with tears forming in her frightened eyes. Leo's words stabbed her right through the heart like a knife because she knew how true they were.

"Why are you keeping us out, Maddy?" Leo asked more gently this time, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. The knife twisted. "What are you so afraid of?"

Madison let the tears start flowing down her cheeks; she threw herself onto Leo's chest and began to sob, "Everything." Madison cried herself to sleep in Leo's arms; he gently laid her back down, covered her in a blanket and kissed her fore head with a brotherly affection. Then he gathered up the tray and left the room, stopping just outside of it to find Raph and Molly standing there. Molly was still carting around that rabbit.

"She asleep?"

"Yeah," Leo said. "She has some much pain in her. I don't know how she even still stands."

"Yeah," Raph said, looking at the ground. "I just don't get it. How does a person treat someone, anyone, as amazing as she is like that… "

Leo arched an eyebrow, "...You… you like 'er don't you?"

Raphael blushed, well as much as turtles blush, "I just don't think she shoulda had to deal with that kinda crap. She's cool. All the kids are."

"Ummmhmmm…"

"Shut up, Leo," Raphael snapped, following his brother back to the kitchen, not noticing Molly didn't follow.

The little girl faced the door with an unreadable expression on her face. She gently opened the door, careful not to let it creak so that she wouldn't wake up Madison. Molly walked across the room, her bare feet making no noise on the ground. She went right up next to Madison and studied her sleeping sister carefully. She hadn't ever seen her look so peaceful. Molly quietly leaned over and gave Madison a quick kiss on the cheek before setting the rabbit next to her on the bed; she wanted to make sure that Maddy wouldn't be all alone tonight and her new buddy was just the one for the job. Molly looked pleased with her self and made her way back towards the door. She grabbed the door knob, which was only slightly shorter than she was and began closing the door, "N...Night, night, sissy…love you…"

_Click_


	9. Chapter 8: A Night Off

**Chapter 8: A Night Off **

Madison sighed deeply with content and rolled over in the soft bed, refusing to open her eyes. She didn't know how long she had been asleep but she felt very at ease right now. She had just had the most wonderful dream about Molly. She was talking. Madison smiled to herself, wishing for such a thing. She so desperately missed hearing the sweet ringing sound of Molly's laughter and voice. They used to sing songs together when Mama was alive. There was once when Molly was 5 years old and kept stubbornly insisting that she could read. Madison played along and said that she could read the bed time story that night. The little girl proceeded to find the dictionary and "read" the story of a princess who fought dragons from it. Madison smiled to herself. That was probably her favorite memory of Molly.

She wanted very much too just roll over and go back to sleep but her body wouldn't let her. She wasn't used to getting this much sleep, if that makes any sense, so she decided to just get up. She turned to get up and ended up rolling over something. She picked up the rabbit Raphael had givin Molly, wondering why it was in bed with her. She pushed the question to the back of her mind as she sat up and slid her feet to the cold floor. She had to steady herself for a minute on her feet. The shot Donny had givin her had hit her and hit her hard once she had let it and its effects were still making her feel a little wobbly. Madison picked up the rabbit and made a mental note to give it back to Molly when she found her. She made her way out of the room, squinting a bit as a result of moving from complete darkness to a brightly light hall way. She made her way to the kitchen where she found Leo, Raph and Mikey sitting around the table. Mikey was munching his way through last nights left over pizza while Leo sipped at some tea and Raph ranted about something or other, also munching on pizza.

"Hey, Guys," she said standing in the door frame.

"Hey, Maddy!" Mikey chirped. "Want some pizza?"

"Um no that's ok," Madison smiled, walking over to the table. "Though I wouldn't mind the rest of that stew Leo brought me earlier. Is there any more of that left?"

"Yep," Mikey jumped up and bounced over to the fridge.

Leo looked at her, "You feeling better?"

"Much better," she said, putting a hand over his and kissing him on top of his bald green head. "Thank you."

"So what's with the rabbit, Alice?" Mikey asked from behind the fridge door. "You takin' off to Wonderland or somethin'?"

"Oh… Ya know I dunno," she said, holding the thing up by its foot. "I found it next to me when I woke up. I guess Molly must of put it there so I thought I'd give it back. Where is she?"

"Well actually April and Casey took the kids out and are letting them stay at their place tonight," Leo said, into his mug. "We all kinda figured you could use a night off."

"But…but what about the flyers?" Madison asked sounding more than a little uneasy. "What if someone sees them? Master Splinter didn't think me going shopping by myself was a good idea why on earth would he let all of them leave together?"

"Ah, don't worry about it," Raph said. "They won't do anything stupid or call attention to themselves. They were takin 'em to the movies and McDonalds, what could possibly happen?"

"Don't jinx it, Raph," Madison said, taking a seat next to him. "Plenty can happen."

"Ah, you worry too much," Mikey said setting a bowl of reheated stew in front of her. Madison sniffed it, inhaling the wonderful scent before attacking the stew as though she hadn't eaten in a hundred years. "Hungry much?"

Madison smiled over her bowl, "Can ya tell?"

"Just a little."

Madison laughed and finished the stew, "Can I have some more?"

"What are you 'Oliver Twist'?" Mikey laughed taking the bowl from her to get her some more stew.

"Sorry, it's just really good stew," she replied. As Mikey dished her up some more food Madison put her elbows on the table and leaned on her hands. "Well this is weird…"

"What?" Raph asked.

"This… this not having to watch the kids," Madison said making hand motions. "I mean what am I suppose to do?"

"Anything you want I guess," Raph shrugged. "What do you wanna do?"

"I really dunno," Madison said, accepting more stew from Mikey. "What is there to do?"

"Well lotsa stuff," Raph said. "Er… well you could… uh… hmmm…"

Madison chuckled as she picked her spoon back up. She frowned for a second and put the spoon back in the bowl. Leo looked concerned, "Something wrong, Madison?"

"Hmm? Oh no it's just that…" she paused for a moment. "It's just kinda weird to have everything so… quiet."

"Ain't nothin' wrong with a little peace and quiet," Raph said.

"Never really had a lot a peace but when it got quiet it usually meant nothin' good was gonna happen," Madison said accepted the tea Mikey held out to her. She stared past Leo, her eyes far off and face in a state of thought. "If we could hear him we at least knew where he was in the house and whether or not he sounded like he was angry. It was when we couldn't hear him when we had to start to worry. Sometimes he would surprise us, grab one of the kids, drag them off and lock us in the bed room. We wouldn't see them for at least an hour…" The guys looked at her oddly. She snapped out of her slight trance and met their gaze with an awkward lopsided smile. "What?"

"N… nuthin'."

"Then why are you lookin' at me like I just grew a third eye?"

"Well it's just…"

"I believe," Splinter's ancient voice emerged behind them. "That what my son means to say is that you have not shared of your past until just now." The old rat smiled. "A very positive yet surprising step on your part, Madison."

"Yeah, somethin' like that," Leo blushed.

Madison smiled a bit and blushed before turning her attention back to her food, "Don't rub it in… don't need to be reminded I'm goin' soft."

"Accepting an extended hand for help is not weakness, my child," Master Splinter said, walking over and placing a hand on her shoulder. "It is a sign of healing. A sign of strength."

Madison smiled and looked up at the wise creature, "How is it that you always know what to say and how to say it?"

Splinter smiled back and took a seat next to her, his paws perched on his walking stick, "Like you, Madison, I have raised four children and with parenthood comes understanding."

"I'm their sister, Master Splinter, not our mom."

"You are the closest thing those children have to a mother," he said giving her a knowing look. "And you accept the job with great strength and grace. I have no doubt in my mind that there is any one earth who loves those children more than you do."

Madison just nodded. He was right about that. No one loved them more than she did though she was pretty sure that he and the guys were close seconds. That made her smile.

"So, my daughter, what would you like to do tonight?"

She looked up and blinked, "I really don't know. I've never had a night off before."

"Hey!" Raph said suddenly. "I think I know just the thing. Leo, what time is it?""

"Um…" he glanced over shoulder. "About 7:45, why?"

"Grab yer coat," Raph said to Madison as he got up and left the room.

Madison raised an eye brow and looked at Mikey and Leo for a possible answer but they just shrugged in as much confusion as her. She shrugged herself but got up and went to retrieve her coat and shoes. When she reemerged she saw Raph standing the strange elevator she had up till now avoided. He was mumbling something to Donny and they both nodded and agreed on something. She raised an eyebrow and strolled over; they immediately stopped talking, "Did I interrupt something?"

"Nah," Raph said, pushing a button next to the doors and allowed them to open. "After you."

"Have fun," Donny said over his shoulder as he walked a away. Madison raised another eyebrow at Raph who was glaring in Donny's direction as the door closed and the elevator rose. They soon arrived in a garage topside where the guys kept all their vehicles. Raph strolled over to a beautiful red motorcycle and tossed Madison a helmet.

"Where are we going?"

"Classified."

"Raph!"

"Just get on," he rolled his eyes, put on his own helmet before swinging a leg over the bike and starting it. Madison rolled her eyes but pulled the helmet on over her wild hair and climbed on the bike as well, having a knawing feeling that she may have just signed her own death certificate. "Hold on." She heard Raph muffled voice over the roaring engine. She grabbed sides of his shell just in time to have him peel out of the garage at practically a million mile per hour!

"RAAAPPPPHHHHH!" she screamed. "I'm gonna kill you! Slow down will ya!"

"Can't," he yelled over his shoulder. "We're gonna be as it is late."

"Late for what!"

"Classified."

"RAPHAEL! When you don't have my life in your hands I'm gonna…!"

Raph smirked and pretended he couldn't hear her. He let a smile escape ever time she hugged him tighter from behind; even if the reason was just because she was afraid of falling off the bike. She squeezed him extra hard every time they turned a corner sharply. He could only imagine that her eyes were squwenched tight, not daring to look. They made a few more turns before Raph slowed the bike down, eventually rolling to a stop, "We're here."

Madison opened her eyes, promising herself to kill Raph later for that last turn that nearly had them parallel to the ground, and scanned the scene. She took the helmet off and made a face, "Raph… this is just an ally."

"Sure… you think that," Raph smirked, climbing off the bike. "Well you coming?"

Madison swung her leg off and set the helmet on the bike. She really had no idea what was suppose to be so special about this. It was just an alley. "Over here," Raph called. She turned around and saw him standing next to a fire escape. "Come on." They scaled the escape to the roof. He then proceeded to open up a roof trap.

"Raph, where the hell are we going?"

"You'll find out in a minute, wrap your arms around my neck."

"Excuse me?"

"Just shut up and do it," he said. Madison threw her hands up in defeat but did as he asked anyway. He picked her up in his arms, which surprised her, and jumped down the trap. They landed with a silent thud on the floor beneath. Raph gently set her down; she could hear music in the back round. It sounded familiar, "Watch yer step," he whispered. Madison snorted. The room was pitch black, she could barely she her hand in front of her face. "It would suck to fall. And it'd be kinda awkward explainin' what yer doin' up 'ere."

"Where is 'here'?" she whispered back. She didn't get a response and she felt Raph presence leave. "Raph... Raph? _Raphael!_" She didn't like this, being left alone in the dark. She _really_ didn't like this…

"Shhhh!" he hissed, appearing at her side, causing her to jump a little. "You have got to be quiet or we're gonna get caught."

"But I can't see anything," she protested, her baring returning. "Where are we?"

"Just chill, ok? Here," he said taking her hand and leading her through what seemed like a maze of pipes, wires and electrical equipment. The music was getting louder and louder.

"Raph, will you please tell me where we are," she said.

"Look for yerself," they stopped and Raph motioned to a lay out of rafters and an over hand bridge that was close to the ceiling just ahead of them. Madison must have had a very confused expression on her face that for some reason he could see because he chuckled. "Go look." Madison crawled out on to the over hang bridge, because she was too tall to stand, looked out over the view and gasped. It was a theater, a Broadway stage to be exact. The audience was filled to the max and the orchestra had just finished the overture. Madison's eyes widened. She suddenly recognized the music.

"_'Wicked'_!" she exclaimed. "This is my favorite Broadway! How did you know?"

Raph took a seat next to her. "Kaylin told me. Said you were practically obsessed with it."

"Damn right," she said, not taking her eyes away as the curtain rose and the opening chorus took the stage. "I can't believe you'd do this for me."

"Thought you'd like it."

"Thank you so much!" she hugged his neck tightly.

"Eh, alright, alright enough with the mushy crap," Raph chuckled. Madison looked back at the stage, a huge smile plastered to her face the whole time. Raph smiled, watching for a bit as the different colored lights from the stage danced in her eyes. He noticed something different in her immedietly. Her eyes, they weren't frightened, they weren't cold or empty. For just this one moment they looked exactly how they shoulda always looked; Alive.

As the two watched the play they smiled both just enjoying the moment. Not knowing, nor caring what was happening in the rest of the world. Not knowing, nor caring, that at that moment a rickety Ford Taurus was pulling into New York. Not knowing, nor caring, that the man inside the car's depraved eyes were scanning the streets, vengefully looking for the young warrior and those she would die to protect.

"And when I get my hands on you, Madison," he growled in a very low deadly tone. "You just might… you just might…"


	10. Chapter 9: Secert Secert

Don't own the guys :( Just the Millers.

**Chapter 9: Secret, Secret, I've gotta Secret!**

"Peter!" Madison's voice thundered from the other room. "What have I told you about the milk? Use a glass!"

"But Raph and Mikey don't," Peter exclaimed, his voice carrying from the kitchen to the living room where Madison was sitting with Master Splinter and the others. "And they backwash!"

He could almost see the disgusted and horrified look cross her face. Madison was kinda a stickler about that kinda thing, "RAAAAPPHHHHH!" she roared. "MIIIIKEYYYYYYY!"

"Thanks a lot, kid!"

"AK! Maddy! No! AHH!" he heard Mikey try and scramble away from Madison but Peter knew that there was no possible way to avoid her. "OWOWOWOWOW!"

Peter just chuckled. He knew Madison wouldn't actually try and hurt them but he had a good feeling that Mikey was probably currently in a head lock on the floor. He took one last swig of the milk before putting the carton back into fridge and closing the door. How Madison could always see him do that he didn't know. She was psychic or something. From his position behind the door no normal person could of seen that he was drinking straight from the carton unless they were right next to him but she did! How did she do it?

"I must know!" he exclaimed aloud in defeat, completely unintentionally.

"Know what?" asked Kaylin walking in, opening the fridge and grabbing the milk carton before poppin' open the top and taking a swig herself.

"How she always, ALWAYS knows when I drink from the carton!"

"Because you're an idiot and keep underestimating the great power of The Almighty Madison," she chuckled, returning the carton to the fridge. "She knows everything."

"'_The Almighty'_ Madison?" he laughed. "Since when did our sister become a deity?"

"Since always," Kaylin said casually. "So er…when are we gonna tell 'er?"

"I dunno," he frowned. "She really doesn't need the stress."

"Yeah true," she said, crossing her arm. "But how much stress do you think she's gonna have when she finds out and finds we didn't tell 'er?"

Peter glared at the ground. He knew his twin was right; not that he ever admitted to her that she usually was. They had all been so happy living here with the guys this past month that he didn't want that to change. Everyday was looked forward to with anticipation and excitement, not dread and fear. And now _he_ threatened their blissful new life.

They hadn't told anyone, but when they spent the night at April and Casey's this past weekend they saw the vile demon. He passed by them in his old piece of crap car. There was no mistaking that clunker or those malevolence pale eyes even at such a distance. He didn't see them because they were still in the theater lobby when he drove by.

He probably would have had a difficult time really recognized them anyway. April had taken all of them shopping that day and they were proudly parading around in their new cloths and Madison had recently given them hair cuts. Molly was looking especially cute in her new outfit of a pale pink skirt and top with matching Mary Jane shoes and socks. She really liked pink. Maybe it was because it had been Mama's favorite color. Peter shook his head not allowing himself to think about the pink roses he had lain on Mama's grave when she died.

No one else saw him. April and Casey obviously didn't know what he looked like but they were very thankful Molly hadn't seen him that night. They didn't have her medicine on them and they couldn't risk her having another attack. That would get them caught for sure. She was to busy squealing with joy from receiving a piggy back ride from Casey. That was another huge reason they couldn't let themselves go back; Molly. She had come so far out of her shell. She was actually laughing now! It had shocked the heck out of them when they heard her laugh for the first time since before mom died. Still no words just crisp clear laughter.

Raph and Mikey had been wrestling on the ground and she spontaneously jumped in and, not wanting to hurt her on accident, they stopped fighting and both started tickling her. Her laughter went shrieking through the lair loudly; Madison grabbed her in a huge hug and started crying tears of joy. Peter narrowed his eyes. He wouldn't let that basterd touch any of his sisters again. He put a hand on Kaylin's shoulder with a reassuring smile, "We'll tell 'er, Kay, just now is probably not the best time."

"But Peter…"

"Let me take care of it, Kay," Peter said firmly. "I'm suppose to be the man of the family now, remember?"

Kaylin smirked, "Since when do 'men' sleep on batman sheets?"

Peter shot his sister a dirty look, "Those are Mikey's!"

"Whatever," Kaylin said lightly.

"Shut up."

"Peter," Kaylin looked down. "I really think you should tell her soon. What if he sees her when she goes shopping or something. I… I don't wanna go back. He'll…"

"He won't get us, Kay," Peter said, hugging his twin. "I won't let 'im and Madison won't let 'im. And I'm sure as hell the guys won't either. We'll be ok."

"You should still tell her…"

"Tell me what?" Madison asked, appearing behind them suddenly, Brian perched on her hip.

"Er… um…that…uh…Peter…" Kaylin stumbled over her words and blushed. "Peter drank the last of the milk!" Kaylin shot out of the kitchen, abandoning her twin with their older sister frowning down at him.

"Thanks a heap, Kay…"

Later that day Peter was practicing his katas in the dojo under the watchful eye of Leo who was looking extremely pleased at his progress.

"Ready, again…one…two…three…Good form…four…"

Peter became completely absorbed in the sequence of moves Leo was having him do. They flowed like a choreographed dance through his motions.

"Alright, Peter, good, very good," Leo said. "I think that should just about do it for today."

"No," Peter breathing heavily from the hard work out. "I wanna keep going."

"I admire your determination, Peter," Leo laughed. "My brothers don't even work this hard, but every good ninja knows when to give it a rest and kick back."

"You go ahead, I'm gonna keep going."

"Alright," Leo said exiting the room and allowing Peter to continue.

Peter walked over to the punching bag and continued his katas, pretending that every one of them was attacking the monster and not the bag. He was no where near as fast or precise in his attacks as any of the guys or Madison but he was determined to perfect his moves. His eyes narrowed at the punching bag, each punch releasing pent up energy from his haunting memories…

_Thump_

The devastated look in Kaylin's eyes when their father chucked her to the floor of their bedroom after finishing with her; blood seeping through her pants with various cuts and busies on her body…

_Thump_

Madison lying on the floor motionless and bleeding from everywhere after a beating; their father stumbling out of the door taking another swig of his beer…

_Thump_

The numbing pain rocketing through his body with every swing his dad took at him. His fists making contact with Peter's face…

_Thump_

Molly curled up in a tight ball in the corner as their father loosened his belt. Her screams echoing through the house as dear old dad brought his belt down again and again…

_Thump_

Mama...

_Thump Thump_

Lying in her casket

_THUMP THUMP_

Looking so beautiful, even in death.

_THUMP THUMP THUMP!_

Pink roses…

"Have to be ready…" he muttered. He had to be ready and completely prepared. He had to defend his family. It burned him to his very core that he was never able to protect Madison or Kaylin or Molly from his father's lust and cruelty. He had tried, he had tried so very hard but he just wasn't able too. "…have to get stronger…"

"_You'll never be strong enough," his father's sneering voice floated in his mind._

"Yes I will!" he growled under his breath.

"_No you won't," the voice laughed. "You're weak... you've always been weak…"_

"I'm the man of this family now," Peter chanted to himself. "I'm gonna get strong, I'm gonna keep 'em safe…"

"_You're still as pathetic and frail as the day your whore of a mother dropped you and the little worm into the doctor's arms."_

"Mom wasn't a whore," Peter snarled. "None of them are… you just treat them that way…"

"_When I find you all, I think I'll start with munchkin. After all she has the softest skin outta the three…"_

"If you ever touch Molly again I'll…"

"… _and you know what, Petie boy? I'm gonna make you watch…"_

"SHUT UP!" Peter screamed and slammed his fist into the punching bag, watching it swing back and forth.

"Ya know, maybe it's just me but I seriously think you and yer family have it in for our punching bag," stated a voice behind him. Peter turned around and saw Michelangelo leaning up against the dojo door frame with a light hearted look on his face.

"Go away, Mikey," Peter said angrily, turning his attention back to the bag. "I've gotta lot on mah mind."

"Really," Mikey said, walking over to bag to steady it. "Anything ya wanna share."

"Not really."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"You really sure?"

"Yes, Mikey, I'm sure…"

"You really, really sure?" Mikey asked. "Because if you're not sure and really do wanna talk about it then…"

"Mikey!" Peter thundered. "I don't wanna talk about it! If you're gonna be annoying go do it somewhere else or I'm gonna rearrange your face."

"Someone's been hangin' out with Raph a little to much," Mikey snorted. "Seriously, Peter, what's up?"

"Nothing!"

"Peter, I'm just tryin ta…"

"I know what you're trying to do!" he shouted. Seeing the hurt look on Mikey's face Peter stopped and looked down at his feet, slightly ashamed that he had just yelled. He sighed and racked his hand through his blonde locks. "I'm sorry."

Mikey gave him a small smile and placed a three fingered hand on the boy's shoulder, "What's up, lil' dude?"

Peter shook his head. He sighed in defeat. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Depends on the secret," Mike frowned slightly.

"I mean it, Mikey," Peter said, staring him in the eye. "I don't want Madison to know. I don't want her to have to worry."

"Dude, if you're…"

"Mikey please, Madison is always the one looking out for us, I wanna look out for her for once," Peter said.

"Alright fine, I won't tell."

"Promise?"

"Ninja's honor."

Peter sighed, "Kaylin and I saw our dad drive by when we were at the movies with Casey and April on Saturday."

"Did he see you?" Mikey's eyes narrowed a bit.

"Would we still be here if he had?"

"Good point," Mikey said. "We've gotta go tell Madison."

"No!" Peter exclaimed, grabbing Mikey's arm. "You promised!"

"Peter, if your dad is looking for you here in New York than Madison should know so she doesn't go topside and he sees her or one of you guys."

"You promised, Mikey," Peter said firmly. "Besides, Madison doesn't even let us go out during the day. Please Mike; let me take care of this."

"Yer just a kid, Peter" Mike said.

"No I'm not."

"You can't take this guy on by yourself."

"Who said I was gonna?" Peter said. "I'm not stupid, Dude."

"I never said ya were but…"

"You promised."

Mikey sighed in defeat, "Fine, I won't tell 'er. But you better. And don't even think about lookin' for 'im yourself. Got it?"

"Yeah."

"Promise me, Peter."

"I promise, alright?"

"Don't go lookin for trouble, Peter," Mikey said. "Because you _will_ find it."

"Ok, Yoda, ok, I get it," Peter laughed. "Now hold that bag again… "


	11. Chapter 10: Sweetest Song Ever Heard

Don't own anyone except the Millers.

**Chapter 10: The Sweetest Song Ever Heard**

Things moved back in to their original normal routine over the next few days. Kaylin and Peter seemed oddly quiet; they kept insisting that they just had nothing to say. Madison knew they were lying because when it came to those two, if they were quiet for that long it meant one of two things; either they had done something or they were going to. Madison chuckled to herself, hoping that they weren't plotting something for her birthday tomorrow. Madison didn't need anything; everything she had strived to get was already in the palm of her hand. She attempted to get them to talk but they wouldn't so she just gave them their space, hoping that if something really was wrong that maybe they would at least confide in one of the guys if nothing else. Madison was bustling around again in her usual fashion. Brian had caught a cold so she had been up with him the night before. She had moved Molly into her and Kaylin's room for the time being. Mikey wanted to help so he took Brian during the day so Madison could get some sleep.

She also noticed that Mikey had been acting a tad on the odd side since Monday. She had needed to go to the store to get some baby cough medicine and he had insisted that he go with her and that she wear a trench coat and hat as well. Madison was a little bemused by this sudden change in the usually playful individual but agreed to wear the hat at least. Then there was Kaylin. She by far had been acting very strangely. She would be laughing happily one minute then trying to rip someone's head off the next. Then she would storm away for about twenty minutes, come back, apologize, and start the whole process over again. It was about the fifth time this had happened when Madison finally followed her in to their room where Kaylin had gone to pout.

"Alright, you," Madison said, sitting on the edge of Kay's bed. "What's up?"

"Nothing," Kaylin muttered.

"Nothing, eh?" Madison said, leaning back on her hands. "Nothing is biting Leo's head off for correcting your posture?"

"There was nothing wrong with it, he's just overly picky."

"He just wants you to learn it right."

"You're not helping, Maddy," Kaylin snorted.

"Come on, Kay-Kay," Madison said, slinging her arms around Kaylin's shoulders. Kaylin tensed up for a moment but eventually leaned into her sister's embrace. "Tell big sis what's on your mind."

"I seriously don't know, Maddy," Kaylin said. "I just feel weird."

"Are you getting sick?" Madison said, feeling the girl's fore head.

"It's not that I don't feel good, I just feel like… Ug!"

Madison chuckled, "Yeah I get like that too sometimes."

"Can I just go to bed?"

Madison looked concerned, "If you want, it's only 8 o'clock though."

"I don't care," Kaylin said, sitting up out of Madison's arms and walking over to her dresser. She pulled out a long night shirt and threw it on the edge of the bed before shucking her other cloths off. Donning the night shirt she threw a glance at her sister's worried expression. "I'm fine, Maddy, I'm just tired."

"Alright, alright," Madison got up off the bed and turned down the covers. Kaylin hopped into bed and scooted down underneath the sheets. Madison tucked her in and kissed her good night. "Do you want me to bring you anything?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Ok," Madison switched off the light and walked out of the room, closing the door with a soft click. She returned to the kitchen where Mikey was playing with Brian and Molly was coloring a picture. She had started washing dishes when Leo and the others walked in.

"Did I do something wrong?" Leo asked Madison as he straddled a chair.

"No," she replied. "I don't know what's wrong but she just not feeling herself tonight."

"Where is she?" Peter asked.

"She went to bed."

"She _what_?"

"Yeah, I know." Kaylin was always the one complaining that they had to go to bed early as it was. For her to go to bed an hour earlier than their actual bed time something was up. Peter was hoping it wasn't because of Him. "Actually," Madison's voice interrupted his pondering. "Maybe we should all go to bed early. It's been a long week." No one put up a reasonable argument so Raph swung the pouting Molly over his shoulder and left with Peter to get the child ready for bed. Donny picked up the crayons and drawn on sheets of paper. He picked up one and chuckled.

"Hey, look what Molly drew," he said, raising the picture for everyone to see. Madison couldn't help but smile. The picture of course was a child's art work but it was a wonderful portrait none the less. Four green stick figures and a gray one stood on what looked like it was supposed to be grass with a sun over head. Next to them were five more stick figures. On the top of the page, scribbled in child's hand writing was _Féminin_. Madison took the picture and taped it to the fridge.

"Congratulations, Boys," she smiled at them. "You have officially become part of our family."

The turtles smiled and Donny and Leo left. Mikey stood up with Brian in his arms, "You sure you wanna stay up with Bri again. You look dead on your feet."

"No I'll be ok," she said, taking the coughing infant from him. "He likes a special song when he sleeps so if I just sing him that he'll go right to sleep. Although…" she picked up a small bottle on the table and the strange looking baby medicine spoon next to it. "If you wouldn't mind terribly, helping me out getting him to take his medicine that would be great." Mikey was more than happy to oblige. They finally got Brian to take his medicine and she set off for the nursery.

The boys had some how found a very nice rocking chair so she set herself down in that and rocked the child for awhile. After she had sung him about a thousand lullabies (because for some reason he chose tonight of all nights to not fall asleep at the first one) Brian had finally dozed off. Laying him down gently in the crib, Madison smiled down at the sleeping child. So peaceful; she was glad he wouldn't ever know the nightmares she and the others did. One of them deserved to be untainted by their father. Madison ran a finger down the infant's soft cheek and kissed him good night before sitting back in the rocking chair. She had tried last night to sleep in Molly's mini bed but it just wasn't possible. She rocked back and forth until her eyes closed and she drifted off into a peaceful dream…

She wasn't sure when exactly she heard the screaming but she couldn't tell whether or not it was a dream until she heard Brian crying and someone shaking her shoulders. Her eyes fluttered open and she discovered she was face to face with a panicked looking Mikey.

" Madison! Wake up!" he exclaimed. 'There's something wrong with Kay!"

Madison's eyes shot open all the way, "What! What happened!"

"We don't know!" he said. "She's won't let us touch her."

She flew from the chair out of the room, calling over her shoulder to Mikey something about getting Brian. She burst into the other room and shoved her way through the crowd of worried on lookers. Master Splinter looked rather harassed as he tried to get Kaylin to let him see what was wrong but she wouldn't. She thrashed around in her bed and screamed when ever he tried to touch her.

"Thank God," Donny breathed a sigh of relief when Madison pushed her way past him. "We don't know what's wrong."

"Kay!" Madison said, unintentionally practically shoving Splinter out of the way. "Kay, what's wrong? Look at me, honey."

"Maddy!" she exclaimed grabbing Madison's arms. "I… I don't know what happened! It… it just started and I don't know why! It only happened when he… Maddy make it stop!"

"Make what stop, Baby?" Maddy asked, stroking her little sister's tear stain face.

Kaylin didn't say anything; she hiccupped and pulled the covers back so that only Madison could see. Madison looked, and had if she didn't know what Kaylin had meant when she said that it had only happened once before, that being thanks to their father, she would have chuckled at the situation. Instead she tucked the covers back under her little sister and kissed her head; assuring her non-verbally that it was ok and that big sister would take care of everything.

"Out," Madison said over her shoulder to the concerned group behind them.

"What?" Leo said what everyone was thinking.

"You heard me," Madison said turning around. "All of you. Rodents, reptiles and anyone under 15 who isn't Kaylin, out!"

"But what about…" Peter was cut off when Madison turned him around and gave him a soft shove in the direction of the door.

"I said out! All of you come on!" Madison started pushing the group out the door. "Out, out, out!"

"But…!"

"But nothing," Madison cut Donny off. "Mikey, try and get Brian back to sleep, Raph tuck Molly in her bed, Peter, as long as you aren't in here I don't care but all of you are leaving and leaving now!" When she had finally shoved the last one of them out and locked the door, she returned to Kaylin's side. The young girl looked positively terrified.

"Maddy, what's wrong with me?" she asked, meekly.

"Nothing is wrong with you," Madison said, sitting on the bed again. She wrapped her arms around Kaylin for the second time that night but this time her sister didn't resist at all.

"But than why I am…"

"It's…uh…" Madison mentally laughed at and kicked herself for having not anticipated this moment. It had never really dawned on her until just now how little she had taught Kaylin about what it meant to be a girl. "Well, Sweetie, you see…"

"Did he do this to me?" she asked, her blue eyes filling with tears.

"No, no, Honey, he didn't do this," Madison said, rocking her little sister back and forth a bit. "I guess in a way this is kinda my fault."

"What?" Kaylin looked bewildered.

"I never really talked to you about this kinda thing," still getting a puzzled stare Madison chuckled at her self aloud and ran a hand through her hair. "I should probably explain a few things…" Madison launched herself into a feeble but well attempted try at enlightening Kaylin about what happens to a girl's body when she reached a certain age and what was happening to her. "So pretty much that is what is happening to you. This in particular really doesn't have anything to do with him. It's just something that happens to us girls when we hit this age."

Kaylin stared at her blankly, trying to soak up all the information. She finally wrinkled her nose and said "Ewwww!"

Madison laughed loudly, and hugged her little sister, "Now that's the Kaylin I know."

"And this'll happen for a week!"

"Yeah pretty much. Sucks don't it?" Madison chuckled at the annoyed glare Kay gave her.

"So is this why I've been all… acting weird lately?"

"Must be," Madison said. "They're called mood swings."

"Ooook…" Kaylin still looked grossed out by the whole idea of "being a woman" but she shrugged her shoulders and said. "So what do I do now?"

Madison got up and grabbed a robe and handed it to her, "Take off those clothes, and leave them on the bed; I will take care of them. Put this on and go take a shower. You don't have to explain anything to anyone, just go straight to the shower and wash. When you're done I come tell you what to do."

Kaylin obeyed, and after putting on the robe, she swiftly opened the door and marched right past Leo and Donny with out a word. Madison heard a far off door slam shut and the water start running.

"What the heck was that all about?" Donny asked, poking his head in the door.

"Nothing," Madison said, starting to strip the bed. She bundled up the blankets, sheets and clothing and breezed past the two confused turtles, making her way to the laundry room. "Peter," she barked over her shoulder. "It's almost midnight, get back to bed." She heard him grumble but knew he would obey her. By the time she had put the bedding in the washer and retrieved some more clothes for Kay, along with a certain necessary product, she heard the young girl switch off the shower. "Kay?" she knocked on the door, "Open up, Honey, it's me." She heard the lock on the door click open and Madison entered the steam filled room. Handing the new things to Kaylin she said, "Need anything else?"

"Um yeah…" Kaylin looked rather embarrassed as she held up the square item in her hand. "How do I…?"

Madison herself blushed. She wondered how awkward this event had been for her mother to go through with her. She showed her what to do with the object and left Kaylin alone in the bathroom to give her some privacy. She started walking down the hall back to the nursery to check on Brian and Molly when she was stopped by a very agitated Raphael.

"What the heck was that!" he demanded.

"It is none of your business and don't even think about asking Kaylin," Madison said lightly, moving around him. "She will probably sock your lights out. And you can quote that to your brothers." Leaving him standing there looking very confused, Madison approached the nursery. She went to grab the handle of the door to push it open but her ears perked up at an unfamiliar voice inside. At first she almost thought it was Mikey but it couldn't of been. The voice was higher, and more… childlike…

Madison opened the door just a crack and heard a clear child's voice attempting to sing a familiar song. The words were jumbled together and they didn't make sense but that didn't matter. She pushed the door open all the way almost not daring to believe what she was hearing or seeing. Mikey was flopped in the rocking chair dead asleep, a line of drool trickling out of his mouth, but that is not was she was staring in disbelief at. Brian was standing up his crib, making all sorts of baby like coos, gurgles and laughs at what Madison was actually staring at. She was staring at a child. A beautiful child whom she had watched a demon destroy with cruelty. A child she had seen lock her words away. A child who had buried herself deep under a protective blanket of snow but had finally let spring come.

Madison's eyes filled with tears of joy as she watched Molly sing in her child's voice "Little Bunny Foo-Foo" to Brian as she made Raphael's old rabbit dance on the crib. Brian grabbed the rabbit, much to Molly's disliking and pulled it close to him as he feel back in his crib; Molly look very displeased when he started drooling on the stuffed animal's ear, "Hey!" her long awaited voice exclaimed. "Briiiiannnnn! Give 'im back!". Madison gasped slightly and covered her mouth with her hand, not sure how much longer she could remain silent. Molly seemed to suddenly notice the presence of her sister in the room and she turned her head and looked at Madison, "Maddy," she pouted. "Brian won't give Mr. Puffy back!"

The tears came pouring out of Madison's eyes just then. She couldn't stop them nor did she want to. Madison threw herself on the ground and wrapped Molly in a bone crushing hug, kissing every part of her face before sobbing hysterically into the little girl's baby soft hair, "Oh, Molly… Molly, Molly, Molly…" Madison wept tears of joy, holding the little girl tight. Mikey was startled by the sound and jolted awake in the chair.

"I didn't do it..." he exclaimed sleepily, having to take a moment to realize what was going on. He became fully alert when he saw Madison crying. "What's wrong?"

"Maddy's acttin' all funny and stuffs," Molly said from underneath Madison's arms.

Mikey's jaw dropped and he sprinted from the room yelling for everyone to come here. In seconds everyone was in the nursery.

"Where is she!" Raph exclaimed, skidding into the room. "What's wrong with Molly!"

"Raphy, make Brian give me back Mr. Puffy!" the little girl demanded. "He'll get spit and stuff all over 'im."

The room went dead silent. Leo, Raph, Donny and the twins stood there with their mouths open, while Mikey jumped up and down exclaiming 'I told you so!' Master Splinter stood there with his walking stick with a joyous smile spread across his face. Peter and Kaylin suddenly lunged themselves at Madison and Molly; all four of them ended up in a massive laughing pile on the floor. Peter and Kaylin kissed and hugged their baby sister, who looked rather startled by all of the sudden attention.

"Ewwww cooties!" she exclaimed, wiping her cheeks, causing everyone to laugh. "Have you guys gone nuts or somethin'?"

"No, Honey, no," Madison said holding her tightly again. "We're just so happy."

"How come?"

"We didn't think you would ever talk again, Baby."

"How come?'

"Because you haven't in such a long time, Honey."

"How come?"

Madison just laughed and hugged the child again, stopping line of 'how come' responses. She felt Peter's hand on her shoulder, "Hey Madison."

"Hm?"

"Happy Birthday," Peter nodded his head in the direction on a wall clock that read 12:05am.

"How's that for a birthday present?" Kaylin laughed.

Madison just smiled again and refused to let Molly go. She was wrong before; NOW she had everything she ever wanted.

"Maddy!" she heard the child's muffled voice. "Yer crushing me!"

"Oh sorry," Madison loosened her grip on Molly's small frame. The little girl sat in her lap and looked up at her older sister.

"Ummm, Maddy?" she said, slightly twiddling her thumbs. "Can…can I ask ya somethin'?"

"Anything you want, Honey," Madison said, kissing Molly on the head.

"Can I have Mr. Puffy now?"


	12. Chapter 11: Can't Buy Me Love

Don't own TMNT

**Chapter 11: Can't Buy Me Love**

Master Splinter sat at the kitchen table sipping his tea in silence. This had been if nothing else an eventful evening. First Kaylin's mysterious frantic moment, though he had a firm suspicion about what it might have been, then learning that Molly had finally found her voice. And what a sweet voice it had been. Splinter pondered into his cup why anyone would wish to harm such a child as she. It angered him to know this she had spent so long in the depths of a hell no child should even know about let alone experience.

It was very late, everyone was sleeping again. They had all gone back to bed awhile ago but Splinter wished to enjoy a few moments of silence and a cup of tea before he retired. He inhaled the soothing herbal fragrance in his cup. He sighed deeply while contemplating what techniques he wanted his sons to practice when they awoke the next morning. His sensitive ears picked up the barely noticeable sound of pattering feet approaching behind him. Splinter turned around and saw a very sheepish looking Molly standing behind him, the rabbit clamped firmly under her arm and her other hand clutched something tightly.

"Hello, Molly," he smiled kindly.

"Hi," she said shyly.

"What are you doing up so late, my child?"

"Can't sleep," she said walking over and climbing into the chair next to him. "'Sides, I wanted to ask you somethin'. Whatcha drikin'?"

"Herbal tea."

"Can I have some?"

"Wouldn't you rather have some hot cocoa?"

Molly shook her head, "I wanna try yours."

"Are you sure?" Splinter asked. He personally enjoyed the tea but it was nothing short of an acquired taste and he was sure the little girl would not like it. Molly nodded, determined to try it, so Splinter pushed the cup her direction. She picked it up with the rabbit arm and took a gulp. She immediately made a face but looked to stubborn to admit she didn't like it and swallowed the tea. Splinter chuckled; he had been right. Pushing the cup back to Splinter, Molly wiped her mouth off with the back of her arm.

"I want some hot cocoa please."

Splinter chuckled and got up to make her some. Setting a warm mug in front of the child, he took his seat and let her drink from it for a moment before speaking, "You wished to ask me something, Molly?"

"Umm…yeah I was wonderin' if… Ummm"

"Yes?"

"Can… er… could you… um… can you… Ohhhh..."

"Can I what, Molly?"

"Can… can you be our new daddy?" the little girl blurted out rather bluntly. "Our old one is broken." Splinter was slightly stunned but deeply touched by the child's request, "And he's not really nice neither, but you are," she continued on with her chattering, "I promise I'll be a good girl. Maddy and Kat-Kay too! I'll pick up my toys and I won't be loud or nuthin'... Brian is kinda smelly sometimes when he makes a mess but I'll help keep 'im clean. And Peter too!"

"That is a quite the request, my child, I…"

"I can help pay for stuff too! Here…" Molly placed the contents of her dainty hand in Master Splinter's boney one. He rolled the objects around on his palm with a thumb. There were four coins lying in his hand, two quarters, a nickel and a penny; 56 cents. "Is it enough?" she asked, her pondering eyes sweeping over Splinter's furry face. "It's all I got, but I could find more if ya need me too! You could…" she trailed off a bit. "You could even have Mr. Puffy if you wanted, I don't mind."

Splinter felt very humbled at the moment. For years this child and her siblings had endured unimaginable suffering and torture at the hands of a man who was suppose to love them more than his very life. By no means would he blame her is she was terrified at the thought of another father for she had experienced torment in ways no child ever should. But here she was, as innocent and youthful as spring time, coming to him with a heart tugging appeal. This beautiful loving child had offered to give him every thing she had in exchange for the one thing she wanted and deserved the most; a father who loves her.

Master Splinter clutched the money in his hand and put it to his chest, tears rimming his eyes. Extending his other hand to Molly he said, "Come here." She hopped off the chair, took his boney hand and allowed him to hoist her up onto his lap. He then took her tiny hand, opened it, placed the money there, then closed it again. "You do not need to part with your money, your friend, or anything else you own, Molly. You and your siblings became my children the moment you set foot in our home."

Molly smiled, wrapped her arms around Splinter's neck and hugged him hard. She then yawned deeply, betraying her true exhaust, and Master Splinter kissed her fore head softly. She giggled, "Your whiskers tickle!"

Splinter smiled and let her slide off his lap, "It is time for bed, my little one."

Molly nodded, gave Master Splinter another hug and a kiss on his furry cheek, "Goodnight, Mister Splinter," she said gaily before walking out of the kitchen. "Papa…"

Splinter smiled again and picked up his tea, "And goodnight to you, my daughter."

Molly peaked over her shoulder and watched Splinter turn back around, before spinning around and down the hallway opposite of her room. She didn't want to sleep there tonight. Brian would be coughing and it was going to keep her awake, not only that but he kept trying to take Mr. Puffy from her. She continued walking down the hall until she arrived at a door on the very end. She turned the handle, pushed it open gently and peeked inside at the massive snoring mutant sprawled out on his bed. Molly walked in and gave him a gentle shake, "Raphy? Raphy, wake up," he didn't respond so Molly leaned her mouth down to his ear. "RAPHY!"

Raph snorted and jerked awake. His eyes fluttered open and being finally aware that Molly was standing over him, he propped himself up on his elbow to turn on the light, "Molly? What time is it… is something wrong?"

"Brian's coughing so I can't sleep. And my night lights broken too…" she said sheepishly. "Can I sleep in here with you?"

Raph, who had it been anyone else, would of said 'scram' and gone back to sleep but seeing the pleading look in the little girl's eyes he sighed and scooted over. The bed was big enough for the two of them. Molly smiled and after setting the small cluster of coins on the bed side table she hopped up on the bed and snuggled down under the blanket. Raphael let a smile escape as he watched her fall instantly to sleep. He reached over and turned off the light before settling back down himself. He jumped slightly when a sleeping Molly snuggled herself up next to his warm body, sucking her thumb but Raph just smiled and put a protective arm around her, "Yer ok, Mol, yer ok." With that he closed his own eyes and drifted back into a deep sleep.

The Miller children slept soundly within the walls of their new home. A mere few rooms away, a true father sat sipping herbal tea while his sharp but gentle eyes scanned over the evidence of his growing family with pride. However, topside, a few blocks away, another man sat sipping a beer, seething over his failure to locate them. He had finally received a phone call from someone about possibly seeing the kids. From the sound of the guy on the phone, Miller knew that the guy had to be a punk or gang banger and just after the reward but if he delivered he really didn't care. If he didn't, than the police would have a new buddy.

Miller's eyes scanned the scene and he checked his wrist watch for the third time. The guy was twenty minutes late, "Ten more minutes and he loses his cash," he snorted into his bottle.

"Keep your pants on, Pops, I'm right here," snapped a gruff voice next to him. None to his surprise, a rough looking muscular punk slid on to the stool next to him. "Gimme a beer," he said to the bartender before turning his attention back to Miller. "So, I hear you got a couple o' little lost lambs."

"And you said you had information," Miller's eyes narrowed.

"That I do," the punk snatched the bottle from the bartender and took a long drink from it. "The oldest one has spirit, I'll give her that." The punk glared at the counter and touched a strange scar on his lip.

"I don't care what the hell she's got, she's got my kids and I want them back," Miller snarled. Madison turned 18 today. She was a legal adult now; a legal adult who had illegally abducted four innocent minors. Miller smiled wickedly at his own genius. If he played his cards right he could have her out of the way, and with her out of the way… He grinned cruelly again… the possibilities were endless.

"Just fork over the cash and I'll fork over this," the punk held up a yellow envelope. Miller passed him another, thicker, envelope and snatched the one out of the man's hand. He tore it open and pulled out some pictures. Looking at them he snorted a laugh.

"Are you kidding me?" he asked.

"Nope."

"They're in the sewers?"

"Hell if I know, Mister, that's just where they keep goin' so I guess so," the punk said flipping through the cash, counting it. "They just go in and out of that man hole about every other night. Sometimes with those dudes in the trench coats, sometimes with just each other and sometimes just the one chick. Whether they're livin' down there or just using it to get where they're goin' I dunno..."

"Hmm…" Miller pondered over the pictures. He would have to learn a little bit more about this before going down there after them. It might be a decoy to throw off people trying to find them. He'd have to watch and learn for a little bit before making his move. Gulping down the rest of his beer he got up with the pictures in hand, "Thank you, you have been most helpful."

"Hey, Pops," the punk called as Miller walked out. "If you're planning on gettin' rid of the older chick… let me know."

"Maybe we'll work something out," Miller rolled his eyes as he exited the bar. Looking at one of the pictures of Madison helping one of the kids out of the man hole he smiled venomously "Don't worry, Sweetheart, Daddy won't hand you over to that second rate gang banger trash," He smirked. "… at least not yet…"

Grinning viciously, Miller got into his car. No, he thought to himself, on second thought he wasn't letting Madison go anywhere for now. He had plans for her; much better plans.

**_Author Note: Sorry if this is short but I needed just a small bridge to carry them over to my up coming chapters. LoL besides... cliffhangers are fun!_**


	13. Chapter 12: Cabin Fever

I don't own TMNT. Ug I'm getting tired of having to write that every time. Oh well… better safe than sued.

**Chapter 12: Cabin Fever**

Kaylin lay on her stomach on her bed, munching the turkey sandwich Madison had just bribed her into silence with. She scanned the pages of the work book she was being forced to study from. She really didn't care that that some dude in 755 AD named Pepin donated land to the Pope and it cut the Italy in half and some Frankish king took over the north…

"GA! SO BORED!" she exclaimed, throwing herself onto her back, bouncing a bit on the bed. She grabbed her pillow and put it over her head. "No one cares about this crap anymore!"

"Yes they do," Madison's voice called from the other room.

"How does she do that?" Kaylin exclaimed into her pillow. She leaned forward and set her pillow back in its place. "Maaaaddddyyyyy! I'm so bored! Can I PLEASE go practice?"

"Nope," Madison said simply. "You promised that you would do your homework today if I let you skip it yesterday and I'm gonna hold you to that."

"But Peter gets to practice!"

"He did his homework."

"AGGG!"

"Besides, you're getting Brian's cold."

"Maaadiiiisonnnnnn!"

"No!"

"But, but, BUT!"

"One more word, Kaylin Janette Miller, and you're gonna go a week without practice!"

Kaylin shut up; she knew Madison would do just that. She didn't care if she was getting sick, she was finally over having her first period and she wanted to get up and actually do something with out having cramps or getting pissed off at very single little thing. She wanted to go out and do something, even if it wasn't practice. Feeling the beginning effects of cabin fever she kinda wanted to go topside. Of course there was the whole 'dad in New York' thing but it was almost dusk and other than Casey, April and another mutant named Leatherhead who that had met the other day no one knew that they were down here. Kaylin laughed for a moment remembering the look on Madison's face when she had walked into the living room and saw Brain and Molly sitting on the lap of a 10 ft tall talking crocodile

Kaylin leaned back on her pillow, hands behind her head and balancing a pen on the bridge of her nose. Why shouldn't she go topside? People rarely went down the ally they used to come out of and they were careful about when they went topside. Ug… of course there was her homework. Bleh!

"I don't wannnnnnaaaaaa!" she whined to the ceiling.

"You know the sooner you start the sooner you finish," Don said in a humored voice, poking his head in the door.

"But it's so boring!" she whined again, turning her head to look at him. "I hate history."

"Those who refuse to understand their history are doomed to repeat it," he said coming in and sitting on the bed.

"What is it with you guys and your Buddha Zen Yoda phrases!"

"It kinda comes with the whole Japanese Ninjitsu thing."

"Ug!" Kaylin brought her pillow back over her face.

"Oh come on it can't be that back let me see…" Donny grabbed the book and scanned the page. "Hmm… cool…"

"No, Donny, it is not cool! It's boring."

"I beg to differ," Don said, continuing along the page. "This is fascinating. It's the history of how the Catholic Church began."

"But we're not Catholic! We don't even go to church!" Kaylin protested into the fabric of the pillow. "Why should I care?"

"Pepin made way for George the Great, who came to be known as the father of papacy, to establish…"

"Donny, seriously I don't…" Kaylin took the pillow away, looked over and saw Don's eyes glued to the page, reading intently. She raised an eyebrow. "Bet you couldn't find four interesting facts about each of those guys," she grinned mischievously.

"In my sleep," Don grabbed a pen and began writing on a near by note book, not taking his eyes off the page.

"I'm gonna go er…grab a soda," Kaylin said slipping off the bed and walking out the door.

"Mhmm…" she heard Donny mumble something.

"Eat my dust, Tom Sawyer" she smirked, sneaking out of the Lair. Making her way through the winding sewers she found the ladder that lead up to the man hole. Madison was probably gonna kill her for ditching like this but for right now she really didn't care. Pulling her mini pony tail tighter, Kaylin grabbed the handles and started climbing. Raising the cover of the cover just enough to peak out and make sure no one was in the ally, Kaylin shoved the cover off and climbed out.

Breathing deep the crisp autumn air, she let it back out slowly with a smile spread across her face. Zipping her jacket up to protect her from a cool evening breeze, Kaylin found a fire escape and started climbing again. She soon found herself on top of the building looking out over a sea of rooftops and sky scrappers. Unlike Molly, she had no fear or heights, in fact, actually enjoyed them; made her feel like she was flying. Flying away from her haunting memories and the pain they caused her. The sun was starting to set, the light glittering off the top of the sky scrappers' windows like diamonds.

The breeze wisped through her short blonde hair, causing it to dance. It was strange being alone up here; a strange thing indeed. She usually didn't have a lot of time to herself to just think. Except maybe sometimes at night, but even then if she felt alone she could always climb into bed with Madison and curl up next to her sister's protective form. Kaylin looked out over the roof tops. She liked feeling safe but she didn't always like to be safe. Smirking to herself she remembered something that one of the guys had said about how they get around on patrol by jumping from roof to roof. She wondered…

Kaylin backed up to about the middle of the roof and stared straight ahead.

'_I can't believe you're going to do this!_' the common sense part of her brain screamed at her. Kaylin just smirked at herself. _'It's only 8 ft. What could happen?'_ her braver side argued. _'PLEANTY!' 'Oh shut up.'_

Taking a deep breath, Kaylin sprinted at the edge, pushing off the edge as she jumped. She closed her eyes, not truly know whether or not she was going to make it to the side. It wasn't until she hit solid ground; tripped and rolled on the next roof did she open her eyes and stare at it in disbelief. "I… I did it?" she sounded like she didn't believe it. "I DID IT!"

"Not bad for a rookie," said a humored voice right above her. Kaylin rolled to her back and saw Raphael sitting on top of what looked like an abandoned pigeon coop. "You need to work on your landing though."

"Yeah, I missed that day in Roof Jumping 101 when they covered landing," Kay laughed.

The red clad turtle laughed and jumped down to help the girl up, "You hurt?"

"Nah," Kaylin said, taking the three fingered hand and pulling herself up.

"Good, cuz yer sister would kill you," Raph said. "So what are you doin' up here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

"Saw ya sneak out and followed ya," he grinned. "But I usually come up here to think."

"What do you think about?" Kay asked.

"Everything; my brothers, Master Splinter, you guys…"

"And by 'you guys' you mean Madison," Kaylin grinned.

"Didn't say that."

"Didn't have too."

Raph glared slightly at the teenage child's annoying smirk but shrugged it off, "I just worry about you guys and her."

"Don't worry about it, we get by," Kay said, leaning up against the coop.

"There is more to life than just 'getting by', Kay," Raph replied. "There is actually getting out and living your life."

"Again with the Zen Yoda sayings."

"You know I have a point though."

"Yeah but I didn't wanna say anything," she said with a careless shrug. "You might get a bigger head than you already have."

"I do not have a big head," Raph defended.

"Sure you do," Kaylin grinned. "It's filled with all that hot air."

"You're just as bad as your sister!"

"I'll take that as a complement," Kay smiled.

Raph chuckled. It was meant as a complement. For where they had come from and being as spiritually destroyed as they were, it amazed him how much they had changed over the past month. Even in their weakest moments he had never seen them stronger, not just as individuals but as a family. Not having to worry about being attacked in the middle of the night or beaten to with in an inch of their lives every day but knowing that they were safe and loved gave each and every one of them a new spirit and a new hope for a better like, and that was something that their demon of a father could not destroy again even if he did find them.

Raphael gritted his teeth. If that basterd ever came near these kids again he and his Sais were going to have a word with him. When he had first looked into Madison's eyes, he saw everything that man had done to her. He saw pain, he say the terror and torment their father had put her through with the beatings and the rapes. He had seen evidence of the abuse coving each child. Physically; bruises, cuts, scars that would never fade… emotionally; distrust, suspicion, anger, hate… they were only kids. They shouldn't know those emotions. But now when he looked in them, although there were still traces of the abuse, her eyes had softened. They really were beautiful eyes…

He shook his head erasing the train of thought from his mind. It didn't matter now. They were apart of his family now and he dared their father to try and mess with his family. Hell hath no fury...

"Hey, Raph, look," Kaylin drew his attention over the side of the building where a group of about 12 Purple Dragons were gathered. "That looks like the guy who tried to take our money right before Leo and the others found us. Hey! That's the same guy who tried to grab me!"

"Which one?"

"The one with the blue hair and bad hair cut."

"Oh really?" Raph grinned, pulled out a sai and twirled it around a bit. "So Kay, ever seen a real ninja in action?"

"Do I know a real ninja?"

"Har, har, har," Raph rolled his eyes jumped on to the fire escape. "Be right back."

"What!" Kaylin exclaimed as Raph jumped down and proceeded to have fun with the punks. "You are NOT leaving me on the side lines!" she swung her feet over the fire escape and climbed down.

"Kay! What the hell do you think you're doing!" Raph exclaimed when Kaylin pounced on a dragon that looked like he could of easily bench pressed her with one arm.

"There is plenty to go around don't be so greedy," she said, astonishingly actually taking the guy down. "Peter has been boring me."

Kaylin's move flowed like a dance as she defended herself. Ducking, punching, blocking, kicking, winning! Defeating about four Purple Dragons, she started getting cocky. She was getting caught up in her moment of triumph; a little to caught up. She wasn't watching her back. She never heard Raphael scream "Look out!" before someone slammed into her, sending her crashing to the ally floor. Kay heard a loud _crack_ and an even louder _pop_ before feeling lighting hot pain shoot through her shoulder. She didn't want to let on how much pain she was actually in but when the dragon that had knocked her down, hoisted her up with one arm by her shirt she let out an agonizing scream of pain. Raphael knocked out the punk he had been fighting and tried to get to her but was blocked by at least five other dragons. He watched as the one holding Kaylin brought his balled fist back.

"**KAY!**" Raph screamed.

Kaylin closed her eyes and waited for the pain. She waited... and waited. When nothing happened, she opened one eye and shivered at what she saw. An iron fist was wrapped around the punk's wrist, and the piercing glare of two green eyes bore into the dragon's very soul.

"Put... her... down..."


	14. Chapter 13: Away from Prying Eyes

**Don't own TMNT**

**Chapter 13: Away From Prying Eyes**

Madison was bustling around the kitchen preparing dinner. She hadn't heard a peep out of Kaylin in over an hour. She kinda felt bad, after all Kaylin had been through one heck of a week, adjusting to her 'coming of age' situation where she couldn't really practice anyways with out having issues. She thought for a moment, maybe it really wasn't that big of deal, Kay could do her assignment before bed. Wiping her hands on a near by dishtowel she made her way out of the kitchen and towards their room.

"Hey Kay, if you want you can…" Madison stood in the doorway looking extremely confused as to why Donatello was sitting on Kaylin's bed, with Kaylin's homework in hand, but without Kaylin. "Donny?"

"Oh hey, Madison," he said looking up for a moment before turning back to the paper he was writing on.

"What are you doing?"

"Helping Kay with her homework."

"Then where pray tell is Kaylin?" Madison asked, looking slightly frustrated.

"She went to grab a soda she said."

"When was that?"

"Not to long ago, only about…" Donny glanced at the bedside clock. "An hour ago?"

"She DIDN'T!" Madison turned on her heels and nearly slammed into Peter.

"Who didn't do what?" he asked.

"You're sister ditched her homework and left Don to do it," Madison said angrily. "Has she been in the dojo with you this whole time?"

"No," Peter said. "I haven't seen her since lunch."

"Oh when I get my hands on that girl..." Madison went storming off. Peter felt sorry for his twin but he was sure glad he wasn't sharing in her fate. Madison searched the entire Lair and no sign of Kaylin. By this point she was fuming. "Kaylin Janette Miller! You have 30 seconds to get out here now or you are in so much trouble!" Madison yelled in no particular direction.

"Kay's not here," Leo said from the couch.

"What!"

"Yeah she left with Raph about an hour ago."

"Where did they go!"

"I think he took her topside for awhile, why?"

"Topside!" exclaimed Mikey and Peter at the same time, giving each other a horrified look. _He_ was topside.

"But it's still light out!" Madison said. "Someone could see her and report her to our dad!" Madison didn't need to hear another word before she ran out of the Lair, Peter and Mikey hot on her tail. They were down the tunnels and out the manhole in less than 5 minutes. Madison pushed herself out of the manhole and immediately started climbing the fire escape.

"What are you doing?" Mikey asked, starting to climb himself, Peter behind him.

"I know Kaylin," Madison shouted down to them. "If she's anywhere close she'll be up high." They didn't find her on that rooftop but when seeing how close the roofs were together Madison narrowed her eyes. "Didn't you guys say something about getting around by jumping roofs?" she asked Mikey.

"Yeah why?"

"Because I have a sister who is just crazy enough to try it," Madison crouched down than sprinted at the ledge, leaping over the gap and landing firmly on the other side.

"Wow, she's a natural," Mikey marveled as he picked up Peter and effortlessly leaped the opening.

"No…" Peter gulped. "She's pissed…"

Madison looked around but still saw no sign of the teenager. She was checking around an old pigeon coop when the sound of some commotion below her peaked her curiosity and she peered over the side. Her eye widened at the scene. It was Raphael and Kaylin. They were fighting off at least a dozen Purple Dragon gang members; a situation Madison had to roll her eyes at. She should of expected this. Although, she had to admit, that for someone who had only been in martial arts for a month Kaylin was doing very well.

It wasn't until she saw a familiar looking dragon slam his massive form into her sister's small body that her eyes grew cold with fury. She heard a crack when Kay hit the ground, which she thought might have come from her arm. Hearing Kaylin's scream, Madison lost all sense of reasoning. Her eyes blazed with rage. She swung her feet over the edge, kicked the release on the fire escape and rode the ladder to the ground. A few of the dragons took note of her presence and attacked but she made swift work of each of them. Her punches were rigid and those she hit not only went down but stayed down. A few of the dragons were smart and ran away after catching just one glimpse of the expression of pure fury and detestation on her face.

She saw the punk hoist Kay up with his massive arm and pull his fist back to deliver a cuff to her face. Madison caught his wrist in her hand and held it unyielding. She narrowed her eyes darkly at him with a deep sense of rage. He turned around and slightly shrank away from her piercing glare.

"Put… her… down," she said in a low deadly voice.

"What are you gonna do it I don't?" he smirked at her, recovering from his first impression.

Madison didn't respond but he had his answer when she fist made contect with his face; funny thing ishe never saw her fist move. The sound of his nose cracking echoed in the ally and he dropped Kaylin to grab his bleeding nose. Madison caught Kaylin before she hit the ground. Hearing her whimper in pain Madison gritted her teeth in anger. She picked her up and set her down next to a dumpster. Peter rushed to his twin side, seeing she was somewhat ok he turned to the gang member who had dared to hurt his sister and had a look of revenge in his eye. "Stay with your sister," Madison ordered coldly. There was no arguing with that tone. Peter stayed where he was and watched his older sister walk back into the brawl. He winced when he saw Madison practically lift one guy in the air and decked him hard across the face. He crumpled to the ground and didn't get back up.

Mikey had gone to help Raph out and between the two of them they made short work of the four guys that were around them. It wasn't until they looked up and saw Madison that they completely froze. Her eyes were hallow and cold as she attacked the remaining Dragons. They had never seen anyone fight like that before. She was graceful but unforgiving with her attacks. She hit fast and she hit hard and in no time flat had every last dragon lying comatose on the ally floor. The man who had attacked Kaylin tried to make a run for it but she grabbed him by the shirt and threw him to the ground. She had delivered such a blow to his groin that he vomited.

"You like picking on little girls, huh?" she snarled at him. "Well pick on this..." she hit him hard four times in the face. He spit up the blood that was gushing from his gums and lips. He tried to get up but Madison's iron grip on his throat kept him subdued. "If you ever...ever touch my family again I will kill you," she seethed. "And that is not a warning. That is a promise." With that she brought her fists together and delivering a blow to the side of his head that it rendered him unconscious.

Her four on lookers stared at her in disbelief, not really sure whether or not they could believe what they had just witnessed. All of Madison's sweet and kind nature had completely evaporated and the woman standing over the lifeless punk was someone they didn't dare approach. It wasn't until Madison wiped the punk's blood off of her knuckles on his shirt and got up did anyone attempt to move. She calmly walked over and scooped Kaylin up into her arms. She shot a frigid piercing glare over her shoulder at Raphael who shrank back from it.

"Let's go," she ordered, walking out of the ally and into the next one to go back down the manhole. By now it was pitch black out so the turtles had no problem running to just the next ally. It was actually Peter who seemed uneasy. While Raph was watching Mikey lower Kaylin into the sewers, he was watching a familiar car parked across the street. The car started up its engine and started slowly rolling. The driver shot Peter a wicked smile from behind the window glass. As Peter lowered himself into the sewer and recovered the manhole, the devil slowly drove away.


	15. Chapter 14: Whisper in the Darkness

**Chapter 14: Whisper in the Darkness**

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKINIG?" Madison shrieked. "You could have gotten her killed!"

"It was just a couple purple dragons!" Raphael defended. "And the kid held her own pretty well for awhile there." He watched as Madison swelled up like a bull frog.

"You do realize you just signed your own death certificate right?" Mikey said, from his corner of the infirmary.

"SHUT UP, Mikey!" the two shouted at him.

"Sorry, Yeesh…just tryin' to lighten the mood," he muttered.

"Lighten the mood?" Madison looked at him like he was growing a third eye. "Genius here takes Kaylin topside, without my permission, when she was supposed to be doing her homework and knows we're in hiding and NOW… "

"Madison, it's just a broken arm," Raph said, probably not using the best word choice. "Kay will be fine."

"Just a broken arm… JUST a broken arm?"

"You're not very good at the whole calming Madison down thing, ya know that?"

"Shut up, Leo!"

"It's not ever really broken," Donny said, finishing examining Kaylin's arm. "Just dislocated. I can put it back in a jiff, put it in a sling and she should be fine in a few weeks."

"There, see? Not even actually broken, all that ranting for nothing."

"For nothing?" Madison seethed. "Do you even listen to yourself?"

"Do you?"

"She got hurt because of you!"

"I'm not the one who slammed her into the ground!"

"But it's your fault she was up there!"

"At least she's not afraid to live her life!"

"That doesn't even make sense!"

"Think about for a second and it does!"

"You are beyond all doubt the most pompous, arrogant, irresponsible, immature…!"

"Shut up, Madison!" Kaylin exclaimed from where she was reclined, holding her arm. "Just shut up!"

It took Madison a second to come out of her shock, "What did you say to me, young lady?"

"I said shut up!" Kaylin snapped. "It's not his fault its mine! Raph didn't take me top side I went on my own. He came after me and we got into the fight, ok?"

"What?" Madison asked, kneeing next to the bed. "What do you mean you went on your own? Why would you do that?"

"Because I…" Kaylin glared at the wall for a second. "I had to get out for a bit."

"Kay, honey…" Madison put a hand on her little sister's knee. "You know we can't go topside during day light hours. Dad might…"

"He already has!" Kaylin exclaimed before thinking better of it. The clear expression of a demanded answer on Madison's face caused Kaylin to continue despite Peter's pale features and dis-encouraging gestures. "Dad's here in New York. Peter and I saw him when we went to the movies with April and Casey."

Madison went completely numb, not knowing what to say or think. She finally found her tongue. "You…you mean to tell me that he's been in New York for almost two weeks? And you two knew about it?" Kaylin nodded. "And you didn't tell me! Kaylin, what on earth were you thinking not telling me this!"

"It wasn't her fault," Peter said meekly behind her. "She and Mikey…"

"Mikey knows too!" Madison's voice rose. Mike inched away. "Was that all or should I expect a letter from the Pope!"

"They tried to convince me to tell you," he said. "But I… I didn't want you to worry."

"Well I'm worrying now!"

"Told you," Kaylin muttered under her breath.

"I can't believe you would be this irresponsible, Peter," Madison said. "Do you know how much danger we could be in?"

"Actually…"

"Do I even wanna know?"

"Dad saw us go down the manhole," Peter said, looking down. "I saw him sitting in his car across the street watching us."

Madison had a frightening calmness about her, "Go to your room."

"Madison, I'm sorry…"

"Go. To. Your. Room…"

"I…"

"Now…"

Peter stopped arguing and just simply left.

"Kaylin, when Donny finishes with your arm you may join your brother," she said coldly. Kaylin nodded. "I will come and speak to you both when I am not about ready to have an aneurism." Madison turned and walked out of the room, brushing past Molly and Master Splinter. Raphael followed but was stopped when Molly grabbed his three fingered hand.

"Raphy, will you play with me?" she asked.

"Sorry, Kido, I gotta go talk to your sister," he said. "We'll play later ok?"

"Ok," she chirped as she skipped away.

"What is the matter, my son?" Splinter asked the frustrated turtle.

"I ain't got time, Sensei, sorry," Raph said walking away. "Go ask, Kay."

The old rat furrowed his brow but entered the infirmary to speak with the tear steak teen. Raphael quickly made his way down the hall. He didn't have to go looking for Madison; he knew exactly where she would be. And he was right. He found her swinging madly at the punching bag. He slipped in. Madison shot a glance over her shoulder but ignored him.

"Don't be angry at them, Maddy," he said, walking up behind the bag. "They were just trying to help."

"Don't waste your breath, Raph," Madison said, throwing a few more punches at the bag. "I don't wanna hear it."

"Madison…"

"Their 'helping' kept me completely in the dark and now the man we have been hiding from for almost two months knows where we are. And you think I shouldn't be angry?"

"I'm just saying…" he muttered, holding the bag.

"I don't care what you're saying, Raphael," she snorted not taking her eyes off the bag. "If we live through this they are grounded till their 20."

"IF you live through this?"

"He'll catch us," Madison said, looking like she wanted to cry. "I know he will, and when he does he'll…"

"Madison, you need to get snap outta this and get it together!" he said. "If not for yourself, for the kids!"

"He's going to kill me… or worse."

"No he won't," Raph said. "Madison, you have to do something and do it soon."

"No," she said. "I don't want to fight anymore. I can't. Let him find me."

"Madison Leyla Miller, what the hell kind of talk is that!"

Madison refused to look at him

"Oh…Oh I get it. You just don't care anymore," he snapped. "You're only worried about what's going to happen to your. You're so wrapped up in your own little world that what happens to them kids just don't matter no more."

"That's not true," she said coldly.

Ignoring her Raph continued, "Maybe you should just serve them to him on a silver plate with a bow on 'em and everything. Kay looks pretty good in red and Molly…" He never saw her fist coming. All he saw was the ground and felt a throbbing pain on the side of his face. Madison stood over him looking livid. Her face red and hands white from balling them up so tightly.

"If you don't have anything smart to say than keep you damn mouth shut or I'm gonna keep it shut for you," she seethed. "I love them. I love them more than my own life!"

"Then act like it!"

"I can't leave them," Madison snarled. "I won't leave them like m…"

"Like who, Madison," Raph said, getting off the floor and grabbing her shoulders. "Come on, tell me! Or are you just gonna run again?"

"I don't run anymore," she snarled.

"Then like who, Maddy, huh?" he shot back. "Like who!"

"Like…"

"Who, Madison!"

"My mom alright!" she shrieked. "I don't wanna leave them like mom left me!" her green eyes glittered as tears formed. "She died saving me! And you know what! I hate her for it! I hate her for leaving me behind! Hate her for leaving me with him! I hate her for all the weeks afterwards where I was forced to 'comfort' my father with my body! Why couldn't she of just let me die instead!"

"Then _you_ would of left your brothers and sisters and where would they be?"

"But I was only 16! No one should have been allowed to touch me like that! Or them! We were just kids! _They_ still are!" Tears went pouring down Madison's face and Raphael caught her in his arms. She sobbed on his shoulder, all her barriers coming crashing down; she was revealing her true self to him. Not the fiery sarcastic don't take no crap woman he had gotten to know and care about over the past months but a shivering terrified child who needed someone to hold her and tell her it was going to be ok. Raph wrapped his arms around her protectively, stroking her angel soft hair.

"Shhhh, Shhhh, its ok, everything is ok…"

"No, Raph, it's not!" Madison sobbed. "My mom was sick all the time. She had some disease, I can't even remember what it was called, but it made her body so vulnerable to injury that even if she bumped her hand on the counter she would bruise for weeks. My dad took full advantage of this. He'd beat her just enough to make it look like she had been doing hard work in the garden or something. Her bones were brittle and her strength was usually zapped from her, but she still stood up him to protect us. She did the best she could; I know she did, but why! Why did she have to push him over the edge like that?"

"What happened?"

"He came after me one night, she got in his way," Madison said. "He had beaten her to unconsciousness once before but…" more tears ran down her face. "This time he threw her down the stairs. She hit her head hard on something and didn't wake up."

Raph just held her.

"She was in a coma for three days before Dad told them to pull the plug," she said, venom dripping from her every word. "Three days! Three freaking days! How do you judge whether someone will pull through or not in only three days!"

"He's a heartless basterd, nothing more…"

"I miss her so much," she cried into his shoulder. "I can't do this anymore without her."

"Yes you can you're stronger than that," he said. "I know you."

"I'm scared, Raph, alright! I'd admit it; I'm terrified of going back."

"You shouldn't be. We wouldn't let him take you back."

"I just want to be..."

"Be what?"

"Whole again."

"You are."

"No I'm not," she snorted. "After what he's done to me…"

"It doesn't matter what he did to you guys," Raph said into her hair. "It doesn't matter…"

"Yes it does, Raph!" she said pulling away. "He reached in and slaughtered whatever I had left in me when mom died. I hated him more and more every time he touched me. How am I supposed to be clean enough for anyone after what he did?"

"You're clean enough to me," he murmured. "What he did to you doesn't matter to us. It doesn't change any…"

"Can you honestly stare me in the eye and tell me that you and the others don't look at us differently because of what we have been through? Can you tell me truthfully that you guys don't watch what you do or say around us so that it won't remind us of him? We can never be normal, Raphael! I'm an 18 year old girl running from a psycho and raising four kids. Does that seem typical to you? I mean look at me, this is not normal!"

Raph took her face in his hands, tilted her head down and kissed her on the forehead gently then looked her square in the eye he said, "I am looking at you, Madison," he ran a finger down her cheek. "And you look fine to me."

Madison was slightly taken back by the Raph's act of affection. Her eyes filled with tears again and she slipped back into Raphael's arms, just letting him rock her for a bit. "Besides, compared to my family, you guys are pretty stinkin' normal." She chuckled slightly through her tears and just sat there in Raphael's comforting arms for a moment. When she had stopped crying she pushed away with a very firm and determined look on her face.

"Let's go," she said heading for the dojo door.

"That's my girl!" Raph smiled following her.

"Kaylin! Peter! Molly!" Madison called, storming into the living room. "Donny! Leo! Mikey! Let's go come on! All of you out here now!"

They all started filtering into the living room, giving her odd looks. Peter and Kaylin emerged both seeming slightly sheepish.

"Maddy," he said, not really looking at his sister. "Are you…are you mad at us?"

"A little," she said simply. Her face softened and she put a hand on his shoulder. "I understand you meant to try and protect us, Peter, but ignorance is not bliss and knowledge is power."

"That was very Chinese proverbish," Kaylin smirked.

"Probably," she smiled. "Maybe I've been around they guys to much." They smiled shyly back.

"Actually they have more of a Yoda thing going."

Madison rolled her eyes "Ok, everyone, here is the deal. Now that our dad knows that we're down here he will probably start trying to find us. Luckily he only saw us go down the man hole and not where we went. Unless there is more you didn't tell me," she looked at Peter but he shook his head. "Ok then, that doesn't mean that he won't start searching the sewers. I suggest that we go and stay at April and Casey's for awhile until it's safe to come home. Donny that is your job, go and call April, tell her that the kids and I are coming. Mikey, just in case he actually finds this place, you Leo and Raph start erasing our existence from here. Take down pictures, put away the extra chairs, everything, put them in our rooms. Peter, you start gathering up some stuff for Brian and yourself. Kaylin, take Molly to help you get ready to go. I don't want you over working that shoulder. Raph, after they get our stuff ready lock the doors to our rooms. Got it?" Everyone nodded. "Alright, move it people…"

"Ahem…"

"And turtles," Madison rolled her eyes at Mikey. As everyone took off in their own directions to carry out her orders, Madison went to her room and began throwing things into a bag. She was trying to shove the kids' work books in the bag when Kaylin burst into the room, her face white as a sheet.

"What is it?" Madison asked, with a small frown.

"I…" Kaylin looked like she was going to cry. "I can't find Molly."

The book she was holding never touched the ground before Madison was gone from the room, sprinting as fast as she could towards the doors that lead to the winding sewer tunnels.

Molly softly hummed her favorite lullaby, the stuffed rabbit swinging at her side as she skipped down the path next to the river of sewage. She didn't mind the smell anymore. Everyone was too busy to play with her today, Raphy was probably fussing again, and Maddy looked really mad at Petie and Kay-Kay so she decided to go visit the funny alligator man everyone called Leatherhead. He would play with her. She didn't really understand why they called him that. His head didn't look like a couch to her…

"Hey…"

Molly stopped at the strange sound she just heard. She looked around but didn't see anyone; of course it was kinda dark. She heard the voice again.

"Hello?" she said meekly, hugging her bunny close. Molly turned around and saw the silhouette of a man standing in the shadows. She could see him smile behind his shadow. It wasn't a very nice smile.

"Hello, Molly…"

A hand reached out and grabbed her hair. She let out a scream before the man covered her mouth with a cloth soaked in alcohol. She struggled for a moment before slipping into her own darkness. The man smiled cruelly at the child lying limp in his arms.

"Tisk, tisk, tisk, you poor thing," he mocked. "You must be exhausted. Don't worry, Baby, Daddy will take you home and put you right to bed."


	16. Chapter 15 Whats the Plan?

**Chapter 15: What's the Plan?**

Raphael stumbled back after being completely plowed over by Madison. Not even five seconds later Kaylin slammed into him being unable to stop from her dead sprint. She yelped in pain and grabbed her shoulder having run right into him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Pipsqueak!" he said, holding her up a bit. "Watch the arm."

"Raph! You've gotta do something!"

"Whats going on?" Raph looked alarmed at Kaylin's panicked appearance.

"She's missing!" Kaylin nearly shrieked and grabbed the top of his plastron, a hysterical look on her face.

"Who's missing?" his eyes narrowed.

Tears began streaming down her cheeks, "We can't find Molly! She's not in the Lair!"

It took Raph all of 3 seconds to go sprinting to the dojo, "LEEEEOOO!" he said screaming for his brothers. "DONNY! MIKEY! GET OUT HERE NOW!"

"What's going on?" Mikey asked, poking his head out of the infirmary with Donny behind him. Leo came out of the dojo with Master Splinter, both also looking confused at Raph's frantic state.

"Molly's missing!" he exclaimed.

They didn't need to be told twice; the four mutants ran after Raphael out of the Lair and down the sewer tunnels. It wasn't long before they found Madison kneeling on the ground staring at something in a paralyzed state of horror. She was clutching something tightly to her chest.

"Madison!" Raph ran to her and knelt down. "Maddy, what happened? Where is she! Say something dammit!" Madison didn't, or rather couldn't, say anything. She handed him what was in her hands. Raph stared at the familiar plush in his hands in alarm, "No…" tears rimmed his eyes. Molly's rabbit.

"I was too late," Madison said numbly. "I promised her… I swore I would never let him… oh god…" Madison threw herself into Raph's arms and sobbed.

Raph didn't care what crap Mikey would probably dish him later; he let his own tears start rolling down his cheeks. He held her even though all the strength in his arms had evaporated. He felt a soft hand on his head and looked up at his Sensei whose eyes were also damp. He turned around and looked at his brothers. They looked just as devastated.

"Come, my son," He helped Raphael get Madison to her feet and they started walking back to the Lair; Madison's eyes never left the rabbit she had taken back from Raph. The trip back to the Lair was a long quiet one even though it only took a few minutes. Peter and Kaylin met them at the door with worried expressions. They gasped when they saw the rabbit clutched in Madison's grip and Kaylin started to cry.

Peter looked determined not to start crying himself. He wanted so much to be strong; he wanted to be a man. Wrapping his arms around his crying twin he felt her shaking violently. He wanted so much to comfort her but how was he supposed to give her hope when it was something he himself couldn't even find. Madison seemed to know what was going through his head. She went over and wrapped her arms around the both of them, pulling them close.

Madison felt the boney soft hand on her shoulder and faced Master Splinter, "I am so sorry," he said, sounding about as bad as she felt.

"The only one who is gonna be sorry is him!" Raph thundered. "I'll rip his throat out with my bare hands!"

"No," Madison said coldly. "No, Raph, you won't. You are going to stay here."

"WHAT?" Raph nearly shrieked. "Have you lost your mind! He's got Molly! And you want me to sit here! YOU want to just sit here knowing what he is going to do to her!"

"Calm yourself, my son," Splinter said. He tried to place his hand on his son but Raphael threw it off in a very out of character fashion.

"No! No I will calm myself! Are you nuts!" he shouted at Splinter.

"Raph!" Leo exclaimed. "How dare you speak to Master Splinter like that!"

"Shove it, Leo!" he rounded on his brother. "I'll speak however the hell I want right now! Molly has just been abducted by some psycho path nut job who wants to do the nasty to her and everyone for some reason everyone wants to do nothing about it! Tell me this, Sensei; tell me this, DO YOU SERIOUSLY EXPECT ME TO STAY CALM OR HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST YOUR MIND WITH THE REST OF THEM! What The hell are you thinking?"

"_RAPHAEL!_" Splinter thundered. "You dishonor yourself by speaking to you master in such tones! I know your pain and anger of losing Molly but do not be foolish enough to think that you are the only one suffering from this lose! We are her family too! She is my daughter and I her father! Do you truly think that the lose of my child is not plunging a blade through my heart as well? If you can not see the pain of anyone but yourself then I have truly failed as your father."

Raphael went completely silent for a moment; his Sensei's words had grabbed his heart, ripped it out and stepped on it. "I… Master Splinter…" He bowed to the rat. "I'm sorry, Sensei, I don't know what came over me."

"Grief, my son, it is called grief," Splinter said sadly. "I must meditate." He walked to the other side of the Lair and entered his room, closing the door behind him. If any of them had sat silently long enough they would have heard his soft weeping.

"Raph, I never said I was just going to sit here," Madison said, finally letting go of the twins. "I am going after him."

"We're going with you," Peter said.

"No you're not," Madison said. "You are going to April and Casey's with the other two."

"Madison, I can't just…"

"You can and you will," Madison said. "This is not a game, Peter; Molly's life is very well in danger."

"That's why I should go!" he said. "Madison, please don't leave me behind on this one I have to go!"

"Peter, if this is about proving to dad that you're some big tough guy macho man you have another thing coming."

"I am a man," he snarled. "Don't you dare tell me I'm not."

"Yes, Peter, you are, alright! You are a man, but do you know what real men do?" Madison said looking him in the eye. "They don't seek revenge when they know what is would cost those dear to them. They protect the ones they love who can't protect themselves. They respect the requests of the ones who love them and they sacrifice their own desires for the better of their family." Peter went silent. He wanted to go so badly. He wanted to make their father pay. "You claim to be the man of the family now but if you want to truly prove that, please, do what I ask."

"But…"

"Kaylin is hurt, Brian is defenseless and I need someone to keep them safe," Madison said. "Please, Peter?"

Peter was angry but he nodded and escorted Kaylin out of the room to get her and Brian ready. Madison collapsed on the couch, wanting to do nothing but sit there and sob. She had failed; not just Molly, but everyone. Peter, Kaylin, Brian, herself… mom…

"So what's the plan?" Donny's voice pulled her out of her pain.

"I don't know what to do," she confessed. "I just don't know what to do…"

"Well you're not just going to leave her there!"

"Raph, for once in your life, shut up," Madison snapped. "I'm trying to think." Raph scowled but shut his mouth. She sat there on the couch for a while looking deep in thought with her eyes closed and her hand on her forehead. Her eye finally opened and she sat up. "I have an idea, but it's probably going to be risky…" she started explaining her plan to the guys. When she had finished Madison sat there in silence waiting for a response. Raphael was the first to speak.

"Are… you… INSANE!

"Of course I am, you should know this by now," she said rolling her eyes at the red clad turtle.

"Actually," Leo said. "This could work."

"What if she gets hurt!" Raph exclaimed. "Or Molly!"

"If?" Madison chuckled darkly. "There is no 'if', Raph." Before Raphael could respond she continued. "We need to move quickly. If he hasn't done anything to her yet he will soon, so to save her as much pain possible we need to do this now or Molly is going to pay the price for it. Understood?"

Everyone nodded.

"Mikey, I want you and Donny to take the other kids to April and Casey's right now," she said turning to the orange and purple turtles. "Oh, and Donny?" she wrote something down on a piece of paper, folded it and handed it to Don. "Give this to April. Have her run and get me one of these and have Casey drive to this address with Peter, and tell him to step on it. Peter will know what it is they need to pick up. We're going to need them," Don nodded and gave her a hug before running into his lab for a second while Mikey ran after Peter.

A few moments later they reemerged with the twins and the baby. Madison took Brian in her arms and hugged him closely. Kaylin hugged her around the waist, burying her face in Madison's shoulder. Maddy kissed her head and gave her a reassuring squeezing, being careful not to upset the shoulder. She kissed Brian and passed him off to Mikey. Peter looked at the ground, his hands in his pockets and a scowl on his face. "Peter…" she said. He didn't look up. "Peter, look at me honey," she tilted his head up gently and smiled kindly. "I'm so proud of you." Peter's eyes became misty and he threw himself at her. Peter's sank into her embrace and let himself be a child again for just one moment as he cried on her chest. She held him close and stroked his messy blonde hair.

"You're coming back, right?" he asked in a very childlike manner when his tears had slowed.

"Of course I am."

"Promise?"

"I promise," Madison tilted his head back up and smiled at the unsure look on his face. "Hey, when was the last time I broke a promise to you?"

"Never."

"Well than there you go then," she smiled, kissing him on the head. "Obey Casey and April please, and Kaylin by god if I find out you are pushing yourself with a busted shoulder you are in so much trouble." Kay smiled a little.

"Here," Donny said handing her a few computer print outs. "You'll need these."

"What are they?"

"Directions to, and the room number, or the hotel your dad is staying at," he said. "More than likely that is where he is taking Molly but it's not definite."

"How did you get these?" she looked impressed.

"Oh it's nothing your average super genius slash hacker pro couldn't do," he smiled.

"Thanks, Donny," she kissed him on the cheek. She skimmed the papers and suddenly looked annoyed but relieved. "The Royal Palace, that's only six blocks from here." She smiled at the twins. "We'll get her back you guys," she reassured them. "Don't worry." She gave them each another quick hug and watched them leave with Donny and Mikey. "I love you."

"They'll be fine," Leo said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Madison placed her hand over his and squeezed, "I know," she smiled. Folding the papers and shoving them into her pocket her face became hard and determined. "Alright guys, let's go, we're burning time."

"Madison," said Splinter, who had suddenly reappeared behind her. "I have a gift for you." Madison watched him as he extended his hand. She gazed upon a small jade medallion necklace sitting in the palm of it. There were several strange marking chiseled all around the edge of the medallion with one large carving in the center. She lightly ran her fingers over the markings.

"What do these mean?" she asked.

"Love, Courage, Strength, Control, Kindness, Knowledge, Wisdom…" he pointed to the in the middle. "Purity." Madison let a smile escape. Splinter placed the necklace around Madison's neck and cupped her face with his boney hands. "Something to remind you what you are and that your true family is always with you."

"Master Splinter?" she said before he turned to go.

"Yes?"

"I have something for you too," she reached around and unclasped the tiny gold chair that had not left her neck since being placed there by her mother during their last Christmas together. She placed the little necklace and charms into his hand. "Only been one other person in my life has ever put anything around my neck and she was probably the only adult up till now that I knew loved me," she said with a soft smiled. "I want you to have it." She gave Splinter a kiss good bye before running out the door with Raph and Leo.

Splinter clasped the chain around his neck, "Be safe, my daughter."

Master Splinter went to his room. He lit the many candles lining the walls and kneeled down on a worn mat with burning bowls on either side. Tears were streaming down his face as he began chanting a prayer. He prayed for the baby and twins as the Battle Shell rolled to a stop in front of April and Casey's house. He prayed as though he could Madison tightening her grip around Raph's body as they raced through the streets on his cycle and his heart beating in cynic with Leo's as he leaped from roof to roof, fallowing Madison and Raph. He chanted louder as though he could see Madison climbing the stairs of the hotel. Chanting the prayer faster and faster, like her pace walked down the hall; his heart racing as he knew hers must be. With his eyes clenched shut he could almost see his beloved daughter standing in front of a polished wooden door, her eyes void of all emotion except courage.

Madison raised her arm and knocked firmly on door number 357, her heart pounding in her chest. The tiniest flicker of fright danced in the back of her mind but she refused to let show. If he couldn't see it he couldn't feed off on it. She heard the door knob turn and the door open with a click. Her piercing green eyes stared straight into the mocking face of evil with no fear.

"Hi, Dad."


	17. Chapter 16: Through the Gates of Hell

**Chapter 16: Through the Gates of Hell**

Miller couldn't say that he was entirely shocked to see his daughter standing there but something about her did surprise him. Couldn't really tell what it was, but there was definitely something different. A smile crept across his face and he wrapped his arms around her in a mocking manner.

"Madison!" he exclaimed hugging her. "Honey, where have you been! I have been looking all over for you! Are you ok? Are you hurt? Get in here, you must be starving," he pulled her into the room harshly and closed the door.

At first Madison was unsure why he was making such a scene when there had been no one in the hall way but after spotting two police officers sitting on one of the two beds in the room trying to get Molly to talk she understood. Madison's teeth gritted as she eyes a purpling bruise on her fore head. Molly's head snapped up when she saw Madison walk in the room and she leaped off the bed and run to her. Madison held Molly and glared at the two men.

"Who's this?" one of them asked.

"Detective Karson, Officer Tyler this is my oldest daughter Madison," he said, placing a firm grip on her shoulder.

"Well you little lady have caused quite the ruckus," said Detective Karson. "Where are the other children?"

"I don't know," she said flatly.

"Young Lady, do you have any idea just how much trouble you are in?" asked the other man, whom Madison assumed was Officer Tyler. "You could very well be charged with arrest."

"Why?"

"Four counts of kidnapping, fraud and theft," he snapped. "Your father would have every right to throw your butt in jail after all the crap you've pulled."

"Look, Madison, if you tell us right now where the other three are we won't have to take any drastic measures," said Karson. "If not we can take you down town right now and work it out there."

"I don't know," Madison said casually. "Maybe you should check the basement of our house where Dad keeps the rest of the bodies."

"Madison, just tell us where the kids are," Karson said, trying to keep his patience.

"No," she said firmly. "And you can throw me in prison for all I care but we are not going back with this perverted son of a bitch."

"You ungrateful little spoiled brat," Tyler growled. "I've seen your house, and your room. You had everything. I've never seen a dad so grief stricken over losing his kids as your father has been."

"That's probably because he's been going through with drawls," she muttered. Madison felt his grip on her arm tighten painfully.

"And you have the audacity to stand there and slander him. You don't deserve anything he gave you."

"You're damn right about that, Mister," she snarled back.

"So you're not going to tell us," Karson said rubbing his temples.

"You'd have to kill me first."

"Well we're sorry you feel that way," he said pulling out a pair of hand cuffs and pushing him self off the bed.

"Wait," Miller stepped in front of Madison and Molly. "Detective, give me the night with her. Maybe I can convince her to talk to me. There might just be enough of her mother in her to do the right thing."

"You are somethin' special, Mr. Miller," said the detective. "God knows the world needs more people like you in it," Madison snorted under her breath and received a glare from Tyler. "Alright, we'll be by tomorrow around two o'clock. If she hasn't said anything by then we're going to take her in."

"Understood, Detective," he said, escorting them to the door. "I'll try and get through to her."

"Good night, Mr. Miller," Officer Tyler tipped his hat to him as the door clicked shut. Madison felt him turn around and come up behind her, his cold hands gripped her shoulders painfully but she refused to let him see it.

She didn't have to say anything to Molly but the little girl read her eyes clearly. Molly went and curled up in the corner behind the chair.

"Daddy's missed you, Maddy," Miller leaned down and kissed her neck, causing her skin to crawl. "You've been a very bad girl running away like that. You should be punished."

"And you're been a very sick pervert who should go to jail," she snarled.

"Probably," he smirked. "Except for the fact that I have those idiots completely wrapped around my finger; if I say 'jump' they say 'how high?' And if I wanted to I could call them back here and have them cart you off. That would give me some time with Molly." he smirked again. "But I have missed you all so much I'm not going to do that just yet."

"Well aren't we special," she growled. "You have 6 seconds to get your hands off of me."

"Or what?" Miller buckled over when Madison hit him in the groin and walked forward. He gasped for breath uneasily and looked up at Madison, rage burning in his eyes. "You're going to regret that," He got up and decked her hard across the face. He expected her to fight back, block, or at least flinch, but she didn't, she didn't move at all. He scowled when the expression on her face was completely emotionless. He wanted her to fear, he wanted her to hate; give him something to feed upon but she didn't. He hit her again but Madison stood her ground. Seething, Miller picked up the phone and brought it up against her head and she went down. Miller pounced on her like a cat and began beating her. "You think you're tough, Madison? Huh! You think you can take me?" Madison didn't make a sound. She didn't scream, didn't cry out; didn't even groan. Miller's anger grew after every swing. "Scream, Bitch!" he snarled. "Scream dammit!"

"No," she said gruffly into the carpet as her father's shoe came down on her back.

"You think you're brave coming here trying to face me?" he sneered grabbing her hair and yanking her head back. "You're almost as stupid as that slut of a mother of yours. And you know what? I'm gonna take care of you the same way I took care of her. And after you're gone I'll take care of the others, including that little basterd of yours."

"You touch him," she snarled, spitting blood onto the carpet. "And I will kill you."

Miller flipped her over and straddled her sneering evilly, "Not if I kill you first." He struck her hard across the face and kept hitting her until she went completely still. He grinned in triumph at his unconscious daughter.

He started unzipping her jacket when he noticed a green pendant around her neck. He picked it up and turned it over in his hand looking at the patterns on it. Grunting under his breath he snapped the necklace off her neck and tossed it next to the TV; maybe he could get a few bucks for it. Looking back to Madison's lifeless form he snorted a laugh and got up.

"You're not going to get out of your sentence that easy," he said in a low growl. "You're going to watch every second of It," ginning wickedly he kicked her over on to her stomach and eyed her body. "And even if you don't enjoy it, believe me I will." His eyes shifted to Molly shivering in the corner. He walked over to her and crouched down. "Are you afraid?"

Molly's pressed herself up against the wall and nodded.

"Good," he sneered, gripping her chin harshly. He kissed her hard before slapping her across the face. Molly's eyes filled with tears and she curled tighter into the corner. Miller cupped her reddened cheek in a mocking fatherly affection. "We'll bond later, little mouse, I want to deal with your sister first," he got up and smiled down at her. "Good night, Molly, sweet dreams."

Miller flipped off the light and got into bed. But as he slipped in under the sheets Madison's hand slipped into her pocked, grasped the small black object in there and pushed a button on the top of it. A soft _click_ was heard through the fabric and she felt Molly curl up next to her on the floor. She turned her head and smiled at her weakly. Molly smiled a little, seeming to understand that everything was going to be ok. She snuggled underneath her sister's arm and waited in the pitch black darkness with her for their father to start snoring.

"Are you alright?" Madison whispered softly. She couldn't see her face but she knew Molly had nodded. "I need you to listen carefully, Honey, go and unlock the balcony door but be very, very quiet. Ok?"

Molly nodded and got up. She tiptoed across the room and unlocked the sliding glass door. Madison was able to force herself to sit up a bit and motioned for Molly to open the doors. The little girl pushed the curtains back allowing some of the moon to light the room. She flinched when the door made a bit of a screeching noise. The two girls froze dead in their tracks and waited. Thankfully their father just snorted, rolled over and began snoring again. Molly got the rest of the door open and waited for Madison to walk over to her; her worried eyes monitored her sister's limp.

"Come here, Sweetie," she whispered and hoisted Molly up on to her hip even though lighting hot pain went shooting through her body.

"I'm scared," she murmured into Madison's shoulder.

"You'll be ok," Madison walked out onto the ledge of the short balcony. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes," the child replied meekly.

"Good," Madison set her on the ledge and whistled. "Jump."

"What!"

"You have to, Baby," she said. "Don't worry, you'll be ok."

"B...b...But, Maddy!" she exclaimed louder than Madison would of preferred, and clung onto her sister's neck. "No! No! No! I don't like this!"

"Molly!" Madison hissed, grabbing the hysterical child. "I know you're afraid but you have got to jump! Trust me!" Madison knew convincing her to jump was going to be difficult. The little girl hated heights and it did not help that they were 3 stories up. "Molly, you have to do this before…"

"What the hell are you doing!"

Madison whirled around and saw her father standing in the doorway staring at her in utter shock. Madison didn't wait for Molly to make up her mind; she picked up the child and threw her over the side of the ledge. Molly screamed as she started plummeting to the ground. When she landed safely in someone's arms instead of splattering on the ally pavement, she opened her eyes and looked up at Leo who winked at her. Molly cried tears of joy and threw her arms around Leo's neck.

Madison stared over the edge of the balcony and sighed in relief when she saw Molly being cradled safely in Leo's arms on the ally floor below. She smiled when Leo gave her thumbs up and disappeared into the shadows. Madison cried out in surprise when her father caught her off guard by grabbing her by the hair and dragging her back into the blackened room. "You… psycho… bitch!" he roared bringing his fists down on her with each word. "Do you know what you've just done! You probably killed her!"

"Was a kinder fate than what you had in store for her," Madison spat in his face.

She knew Miller's face was purple with rage as he wiped the blood and saliva off his cheek. He reached into his pocked and pulled out a small object. Madison's eyes narrowed at the switch blade in his hand, the blade glittering in what little moon light there was.

"You gonna try and use that on me?" she scoffed a laugh. "Please…"

Miller lunged at her but since she could see his silhouette she easily avoided him and the knife. She could barely make out him turning around and was completely unprepared when he lunged at her again and being able to land a blow across her face with his fist. This stunned her for a moment, just long enough for Miller to bury the knife into her arm. Madison screamed when he ripped the blade from her flesh and she fell to the ground clutching her bleeding arm. Miller had a mad look spread across his face and raised the knife above his head, "See you in hell, Bitch." He brought the knife down, yelping when it clashed with another piece of metal and not Madison fleshy tissue.

"I think she'd rather see you in jail," snarled a gruff voice.

"Who's there!" Miller demanded, not being able to make out who the two other silhouettes were. His answer was a solid fist making contact with his face. Miller hit the ground faster than the figure had hit him. Who ever had hit him grabbed him again and hoisted him into the air. "Put me down!"

Raphael held Miller about a foot off the ground. As Madison had instructed, he had forced himself to sit on the next roof top over and keep a look out with Leo. He wanted to go in and take the two by force the second he saw their dad come up behind Madison and kiss her. Every time Miller had brought his fist down on Maddy, Raph had gripped his Sais tighter and clenched his teeth harder. He had been itching to beat the crap out of this guy for over an hour. It wasn't until he saw Miller actually throw a punch at Madison did he really grasped what they had been through and it almost ate him alive to have to sit and just watch him beat her and not be able to do something about it right then. But now… Raph grinned, now he was going to have his fun.

"Get her outta here," Raph ordered.

Madison felt strong arms pick her up and carry her out of the room. She smiled up at Mikey's moon lighted grin as he leaped from balcony.

"Wait a second! You can't do…" Miller was cut off by the tip of Raphael's sai poking at his Adam's apple.

"Hi, I'm Raphael, friends call me Raph," he said with a sarcastic causality friendliness. "And you and I are gonna sit down and have a little chat about what happens when sick little freaks such as yourself hurt my friends…"

Down below Leo was helping Mikey hoist Madison into the back of the Battle Shell, "You guys made great time," she chuckled still clutching her arm. They eased her in to one of the chairs. "Where's Molly?"

"Right here," she said meekly. Molly climbed out of her own chair and walked over to Madison. Madison frowned when she looked at her little sister. Molly was shaking violently, her face was pasty pale, she was sweating and there was a light blue tint to her lips.

"Do you have any water?" she asked the guys, fishing in her pockets for something. She pulled out a little orange bottle before unzipping her jacket and draping it around Molly. She uncapped the orange bottle and shook two pills lose. "Take these Honey, you'll feel better," Molly popped the pills into her mouth before taking a gulp from the water bottle Leo had given her.

"What are those for?" Leo asked.

"Anxiety attacks," Madison said, watching Molly's face. "She started having really bad attacks after Mom died. It got to the point where she will go into shock if she doesn't take them."

"Well that was therapeutic," Raph smirked as he hopped into the back of the van.

"What'd you do?" Mikey asked. Raph ignored him and knelt down next to Molly.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked feeling her forehead. "She's all sweaty and pale. What happened?"

"She'll be fine in a minute," Madison said, re-corking the bottle and setting it on the computer like desk next to her. "She just needs to be calm for a bit."

"Raphy, will you hold me?" Molly asked, tears in her eyes as she fell into his arms.

"Sure, Kido," Raph scooped her up and sat down next to Madison just rocking Molly back and forth. "Hey I brought you somethin," he reached behind the seat and pulled out her stuffed rabbit. Molly snatched it out of his hands like a starving child taking food. "And by the way," Raph held his hand out and dropped a familiar jade pendant in Madison's free hand. "Think you dropped this," he winked at her. Madison smiled and fashioned the precious gift back around her neck.

"Alright, Guys, we need to get Madison to a doctor," Mikey said.

"No, we need to go to April and Casey's," Madison said.

"Maddy, you have cuts and bruises all over you, and a two inch bleeding gash in your arm," Mikey said. "You are going to a doctor."

"Just wrap my arm for now and Donny can patch me up when we get to April's," Madison said firmly. "We still have work to do."

"Don't worry I took care of 'im," Raph said, with a small amount of pride. "He's a beaten and bruised pile of perverted crap laying hog tied with his own belt and tie on his bed. Teach him to treat you guys like that…"

"That is not going to stop him for good," Madison said as Leo began wrapping her arm. "Those police will be back tomorrow and when they find him all tied up they will let him go. Then he'll come up with an elaborate story of some kind and they'll have police out looking everywhere for us and after what I saw up there we can't convince them on just my word."

"So what are we gonna do?" Donny asked, starting up the engine.

Madison reached over to her jacket draped around Molly and pulled out a small black tape recorder. She smirked, "We're gonna use his words."


	18. Chapter 17: Got it!

**Chapter 17: Get it**

Kaylin launched herself out of the chair she had been sitting in and tackled Madison and Molly in a hug when they walked through the door of April's apartment.

"You're ok!" she sobbed. "You're ok, you're… bleeding! What happened!"

"Nothing," Madison said, allowing Raph and Leo to ease her into the recliner Kaylin had abandoned. "You know Dad."

Kaylin glared and clenched her fist, "Basterd."

"Kaylin, for the millionth time…"

"Yeah, yeah, no swearing in front of small children, whatever," Kay said kneeling next to her with Molly by her side. "Are you gonna to be ok?"

"She'll be fine," Donny said appearing with large first aid kit in hand.

"Madison!" April exclaimed, appearing in the room with Brian on her hip. "Are you ok!"

"She will be fine," Don repeated. "But I need to clean her cuts before they get infected. Can we lie her down somewhere?"

"Yeah, in the bedroom," April passed Brian to Mikey and showed them where the room was.

Leo and Raph helped Madison up, carried her to the bedroom and laid her down gently. Molly approached the bed, the rabbit stuffed back up under her arm.

"Molly, why don't you go with Leo and Kay-Kay and play a game?" she said with a smile.

"Why can't I play with, Raphy?"

"Because I need Raphy here with me, Honey," Madison said. "He'll come play with your when sissy is feeling better, ok?"

Molly nodded and exited the room with Leo. Kaylin took the hint and left as well with out any argument; April closed the door behind them.

"You need me here?" Raph said with a raised eyebrow.

"I need someone whose hand I can't break," Madison said with a small smile as she unzipped her jacket and pulled off her shirt so that Donny could get to her wounds better. Raph balled his fist as the sight of her back.

"I need to stitch up that stab wound first, Madison," Donny said pulling a syringe and bottle of liquid out of the bag. "If I don't then not only will it get infected but you'll lose a lot of blood."

"Alright," Madison watched him fill the syringe but grabbed Raph's hand and squeezed tightly. "What's that for?"

"To numb the area," Donny said. He cleaned the area and picked up the shot. Feeling the needle pricking her skin Madison crushed Raph's hand in hers. "I wouldn't watch this if I were you," he said as he picked up another needle and medical thread.

Madison looked away as the stitching needle pierced her skin. She buried her face in Raph's shoulder as the awkward pulling and tugging sensation danced on her upper arm. It wasn't that it really hurt, complements of the numbing medicine, but it just felt really weird.

"Ok, that's done," Donny said, putting the needles away. "Let me take a look at the rest."

Donny spent about twenty minutes looking over Madison's injuries. Turned out that in addition to a million and a half bruises and cuts her darling father gave her, she had a badly sprained ankle that was popped outta place, two broken ribs and probably a dislocated shoulder. Raph got angrier and angrier with every discovery. He was seething when Madison cried out after Donny popped her ankle back in place. His eyes swept over her white knuckles as she gripped the edges of the bed tightly. She was digging her finger nails into the bed to the point where she was almost ripping trough the blanket.

"When I get my hands back on that ass hole I'm gonna…"

"He'll get his own soon enough, Raph," Madison said. Her voice strained and breathing hard from the throbbing pain of having her ankle popped back into place. "Don't suppose you have any morphine in there?"

"No but I have something that works just as well," Donny dug into the bag and pulled out a pill bottle. He shook lose a pill and handed them to her. Madison swallowed it with some of the water that April had brought her. Don wrapped Madison's ankle up.

"I'll put ice on it in a minute but for right now I need you to lie on your stomach so I can clean and dress your back," Donny said. "And in case you fall asleep we won't have to move you."

Madison stretched out on her stomach and relaxed in order to allow the painkiller to start taking affect. She flinched every time Donny brushed her back with the alcohol covered gauze. She squwenched her eyes shut tightly and gripped the pillow fabric as Donny cleaned a particularly painful cut.

"This one might need stitches too if it keeps bleeding," Donny said.

"Joy," Madison grumbled. She felt Raph's warm hand grab her and reassuringly squeeze it. She looked up at him and he smiled kindly. Not being able to help herself she weakly smiled back. Donny finished dressing the rest of her back and frowned at the cut he had addressed earlier.

"Yeah, it's gonna need stitches," he said. Madison grumbled but lay as still as possible while he repeated the routine he had done on her arm. "Ok," he said when he had finished that "Turn back over."

Madison obeyed and turned back over and sat up. Donny gently handled her arm. Madison clutched Raph's hand again and winced.

"How bad does your shoulder feel to you?" Donny asked.

"It hurts like hell; does that answer your question?"

"I meant do you feel like it's broken."

"I don't know," Madison said. "What do you think, Dr. Don?"

"Well, its not broken," he said after a few moments of examining. "But it is horribly dislocated."

"Grand."

"Here," Donny handed her a piece of cloth. "Bite down on it," he instructed. Taking her arm he said, "I'm sorry, Maddy, but this is going to hurt," She grumbled something into the rag that no one could really make out. Donny looked apologetically at her "Brace yourself…"

Even with the rag to muffle the sound, Madison's scream echoed through the house. She collapsed into Raph biting back tears. He stroked her hair and tried to calm her.

Spitting out the rag she glared at Donny, "I hope you know that I reeeaaaallly don't like you right now," she growled.

"Yeah but you'll love me later when you can still use your arm properly," Donny said wrapping it.

"Kaylin didn't scream when you put her shoulder back," she said recovering a bit.

"Kay's injury wasn't as bad as yours," Don replied. "She only hit the ground. You not only hit the ground but were continuously attacked after you hit, thus causing further injury. That better?" he said giving her another pill.

"A little," Madison leaned back into the pillow, trying to mind the stitches.

"Ok, now the best thing for you to do is sleep and let yourself heal a little bit," Don said. "And I don't wanna hear anything about it. You stay in bed. Get it?"

"Yeah, yeah I get it," Madison laughed a bit. "Oh hey, Don," she called as he and April began exiting the room. "Leave the bottle." Donny chuckled and lightly tossed the pill bottle at Raph who caught it and set it on the bedside table.

"You are somethin' else, Maddy," Raph chuckled.

"What makes you say that?" she asked, trying to get comfortable but being unsuccessful.

"I don't think I have ever seen anyone put up with as much crap as you do," he said. "I mean you took one hell of a beating from that basterd but you picked up Molly, with a busted shoulder, and threw her to safety. That musta hurt like hell."

"It did."

"So why did you keep putting up with his crap anyway?"

"It's just how I've always done things," she replied, her eyes feeling heavy, probably due to the meds Donny gave her. "We didn't really have a place to go and we were afraid to leave because every time I would try and get help things went from bad to worse. It was just easier to put up with his crap and keep the kids as safe as possible."

"But you couldn't?"

"No," she chuckled slightly to herself. "Enough was enough when he tried to throw Brian out the window."

"God…"

"I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something like that happened to him, or any of the kids for that matter. Those kids are my life."

"I've noticed," Raph chuckled. "You tired?"

"A little," she laughed. "Those pills are my new best friends."

"I'll get outta here so you can sleep," he said starting to get up but Madison grabbed his arm. "What?"

"Will you…" she blushed a bit. "Will you stay with me till I fall asleep?"

Raph smiled and adjusted himself on the bed so that Madison could lean comfortably up against him. She turned on to her side; her good arm tucked underneath her and snuggled up against the mutant, her other hand on his plastron. Raph put a protective arm around her and leaned his head against hers.

"You are surprisingly very comfortable to lean on," she muttered sleepily.

"Thank you?" Raph laughed, accepting the odd complement. He couldn't help thinking that those pills Don gave her were probably about to make this situation very funny very fast.

"And you're pretty hot too," she said. "For a giant mutant turtle, that is."

Raph couldn't help but laugh. Yep, she was gone… the situation just got funny.

"You're not half bad looking yourself, Maddy," he chuckled. "For a human."

"Liars go to hell, Raphy," she said.

"I ain't lyin'."

"Whatever…" Madison said, snuggling back down. Raph cupped her chin and tilted it upward. "What?"

"You seriously don't know how pretty you are, do you?"

"Guess not," she said casually. "I was always told I was pretty ugly."

"Your dad tell you that?"

"Yeah," she said. "And a couple of kids at school before Mom took us out and started home schooling us."

"Well they're idiots," he said. "You're beautiful."

"Thanks, Raph," Madison smiled.

"No prob, Babe."

"Don't… call me…Babe," Madison barely finished her sentence before she was fast asleep. Raph tried to move but Maddy winced every time he did, so he just laid there. Not that he was actually complaining about having Madison lying in his arms he just wanted to make sure Molly was ok. He looked down at the slumbering girl and smiled. Tucking a lose lock of hair back, he bent down and kissed her cheek before leaning his head up against the head board. He could smell the sweet scent of her hair as his own eyes became heavy and he drifted off to sleep.

Several hours later, while the two slept, Peter and Casey burst back in through the door. Casey looked slightly annoyed and Peter had some sort of book tucked underneath his arm. Master Splinter had arrived as well and was embracing Molly with relief.

"Where have you been?" April asked Casey and he threw his helmet off.

"The little bugger didn't tell me that the address belonged to a house in a town five hours away from here!" he exclaimed.

"Shhhh!" Kaylin hissed. "Madison got the crap kicked outta her and she needs sleep so shut it!"

"Where is she!" Peter demanded. "Is she ok?"

"She'll be ok," Donny assured him. "She just needs rest. Brian is sleeping too so we need to be quiet."

Peter didn't really like the answer but he took it. Setting the box down on the coffee table he collapsed on the couch.

"Wait, question…" April said. "If the town is five hours over and five hours back, and you've only been gone for about seven, how fast exactly were you going!"

Casey and Peter exchanged a humored look, "Not that fast…"

"How fast is 'not that fast'?"

"Only about 90," Casey said causally.

"90?"

"I think we hit 120 at one point," Peter said slapping Casey a high five.

"On your motorcycle!" April exclaimed. "What if you had crashed? You would both be pavement pizza!"

"But we didn't crash now did we, Babe," Casey said.

"For the last time do not call me 'babe'!"

"Did you get it?" Kaylin asked Peter as Casey and April began to bicker.

Peter smiled and patted the box, "Got it," he told his twin with a wink.


	19. Chapter 18: Tell Me a Story

**Chapter 18: Tell Me a Story**

Madison yelped and woke up when she accidentally rolled over her bad arm. She wasn't sure how long she had been out but she felt more or less pretty good. Her shoulder was still hurting but that was ok. She felt better now than when she arrived. A snore next to her made her jump slightly. She turned back over and smiled at the slumbering turtle next to her. She eyes his features slowly, chuckling a little at the dried trail of drool on the side of his mouth.

"Raph?" she said shaking him softly. "Raph, wake up."

Raph opened his eyes and grinned playfully before pulling her back up against him and snuggled back down to go back to sleep.

"Oh no, you don't," Madison chuckled, trying to push him off with her good arm. "It's almost 8 o'clock at night, I have to get up."

"Why?" he said, resting his chin in the nook of her neck.

"Because I have to see if Peter is back so we can get started," Madison said, giggling as Raph's breath tickled her neck. "The sooner we get this to the police the sooner I can breathe. Speaking of breathing get offa me already! You weight a ton!"

"Gee thanks," Raph chuckled as he got up, "Hold on don't move," he said. He went around the other side of the bed and lifted her into his arms. "You are not walking on that ankle until we find some crutches."

"My hero," she rolled her eyes a bit but draped her good arm around his neck as they left the room. They entered the living room and found everyone sprawled out randomly around the room watching TV. "Anything good on?"

Everyone's heads immediately snapped up and the kids jumped off the ground and crowded around Raph, "Whoa!" he exclaimed. "Back off, Ankle biters! Let me put her down first." He put her on the couch and laid a blanket over her. The kids gathered around her once more. Madison hugged and kissed every one of them. She hugged Brian tightly when April set him in her lap. Her expression turned serious and she looked at Peter.

"Did you find it?" she asked.

"Right where you said it'd be," he said, producing the box. Madison kissed and hugged him before taking the box.

"I'm so proud of you," she smiled.

"So what exactly is it?" Mikey asked.

Madison opened the box and held up a small video tape, "This, my friend, is what is going to put him away for good," she said. "A few years ago Dad bought a video camera. He had been recording one of our better family moments but left the camera on by accident and caught him self on tape beating mom and me. I took the tape and hid it from him and Mom."

"Why didn't you turn this in already?" Don asked. "You could have been rid of your dad years ago."

"It wasn't this bad a few years ago," Madison said. "At that point Dad was slightly civil most of the time and Mom loved him. She was sure that she could change him but obviously she didn't succeed."

"So why not after your mom died?"

"There were… reasons," Madison said, fingering Brian's hair.

"What reasons could there possibly be to staying in that situation?" Leo asked.

Madison sighed, "I was scared to do anything; he threatened to kill Brian."

"Speaking of Brian there is something I have been wondering about and don't quite get," Donny said. "When exactly did your mom die?"

"A year and six months this December, why?"

"Brian is only a year old."

Madison shifted uncomfortably, "Eleven months," she corrected not looking anyone in the eye.

"Now how does that work?" Donny said putting his hand to his chin in a thinking pose. "If Brian is only eleven months old and your mom died a year and a half-ish ago, than your mom would have had to of died like seven or eight months before he was born. It doesn't add up…" The room went quiet, and eyes shifted to Madison for an answer. She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. " Madison…?"

Madison looked up at her family, a long kept secret hid behind her uncomfortable stare, " Madison," Splinter said. "There is something you have not told us about Brian." It was not a question.

"Brian… is not my mom's son," she said slowly. "He's mine."

There was a long silence that fallowed Madison's confession. They weren't really sure how to respond to that. It wasn't like they were angry they were just shocked, and a little hurt. Why would she fell like she had to keep that from them? Leo was the first to speak.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Out of habit I guess," Madison said. "After I had Brian of course people talked so Dad went around telling the neighbors that I had been sleeping with some guy from another town and made the mistake of forgetting to use protection. So of course he being the wonderful father that he is told everyone that he adopted Brian as his own so that I could live a normal life again."

"Did your mom ever know?" Mikey asked.

"Yeah, she knew," Madison said.

"Is Brian…?"

Madison looked away, "In all honesty I'm not really sure..."

"Perhaps you should tell us the whole story, my daughter," Master Splinter said, his eyes held, not anger, but a bit of hurt from being lied too. He had hoped that she had learned to trust them by now but he guessed that after what these children had been through it was hard to ever truly trust again especially with details surrounding the reasons that caused Brian's existence.

"Dad had been raping me since I was 13, but not only was he doing it, he sometimes brought in some scum bag friends while Mom was gone and they all had a bloody good time," Madison snarled the last few words. "I had gotten pregnant by the time I was 14, I don't know who the father was, but mine hauled me down to a clinic and had the baby aborted. I got a heck of a beating for that one because of course it was _my_ fault that I had gotten knocked up," Madison's voice dripped with sarcasm. "When it happened a second time I was smart and went to my mom instead and she helped me hide it. I didn't want to go through another abortion. When it finally started to show and Dad found out he was furious. The night Mom died was the night Dad found out I was pregnant again," Madison wiped away a tear. "He came after me, Mom got in the way, not just for my sake but for the baby's, and he killed her."

"So why didn't he make you abort Brian?" Raph asked, finally finding his voice.

"I had been pregnant to long he had no choice; legally he couldn't have me abort the baby," Madison said, touching the child's pudgy cheek. "And besides, by the time he was done covering up mom's murder he had dropped it. Guess he figured what was one more kid to make his image look good? So he didn't beat me into a miscarriage, wasn't that thoughtful of him." She looked around at the faces staring blankly at her. "I'm… I'm sorry I lied to you, please don't hate me."

Master Splinter placed a hand over hers and squeezed, "No, my daughter, we do not hate you," he said. "But do not hate yourself, or your child, for what happened. It was not your fault."

"I don't hate Brian, I mean how could I? It wasn't his fault either," she said. "The only one I hate is _him_. I want him to pay for what he has done to us and to Mom."

"Then let's get our shells in gear and get this stuff down to the police," Raph said, slamming his fist into his palm. "I want this sicko locked up. Preferably with a big hairy guy named Bubbles who likes playing 'Drop the soap in the Shower'."

The mood lightened considerably when everyone started laughing hysterically; except for Molly, who didn't get it. Madison shot Raph and Casey dangerous glares when they opened their mouths to try and explain, "Don't even think about it…"

"Er so what is the plan now?" Casey asked.

"Well, plan for right now is everyone is going to eat, I'm gonna take another pain pill and go back to bed," Madison said. "I can't do anything if I'm half dead."

"Oh my god…"

"What?" Madison looked confused at Donny's shocked expression.

"You're _actually_ listening to me!" he exclaimed. "Hell frozen over, my life is complete, and the Yankees won the World Series! Thank you everyone it's been grand, good night…"

"Oh shut up and get me the phone," Madison laughed. April handed her the phone and an hour later everyone was feasting on Chinese food. It was about half way through the second helping of Kung Pow Chicken when Molly started to yawn and fall asleep in Raphael's lap that Madison and Master Splinter decided it was probably time for bed for everyone. She was thankful that Mikey took the two smaller children to get them ready for bed. When Brian and Molly were ready, Peter and Kaylin took them and they all curled up together in the spare bedroom with out a peep. Madison opted to just stay on the couch. There was a wonderful warm fire going in the fire place, and she was enjoying the peaceful silence. The guys crammed themselves into the second spare bedroom and had gone to sleep awhile ago.

Madison sat on the couch watching the fire dance, the gentle light reflecting off her face and illuminating it. She winced due to her extremely sore muscles and injured shoulder.

She jumped slightly when a voice behind her broke the dead silence "You should probably take another pill." Madison turned around and saw Raphael standing behind her with the pill bottle in one hand and a cup of water in the other.

"I thought you were sleeping?" she said as he moved over to the couch and handed her the bottle and cup.

"Couldn't," he said seating himself on the edge of the couch. "I slept all day too remember. You still hungry?"

"Yeah a little," she said taking two pills. Raph got up and disappeared into the kitchen. Madison heard the microwave run for a few minutes. Raph eventually reemerged with a plate of reheated Chinese food and a pair of left over chop sticks.

"Thanks," she said taking the food and immediately attacking it.

"You know, no one would guess that you eat like a horse with how skinny you are," Raph chuckled, wedging his way behind her so she could lean up against him.

"Well after years of being barely fed at all I have learned to count my blessings," she said, blowing on a piece of chicken.

"So question…"

"Answer."

"Why didn't you tell us about Brian? Seriously," Raph said. "Having a kid is not something you usually forget about I'd imagine."

"It's not that I forgot," Madison said. "It was kinda something I wanted to forget. Just go on convincing myself that he was just my brother and nothing else." Getting a slightly blank look from Raphael Madison put her chopsticks down for a moment, "Picture this if you will," she said sounding slightly hard. "You're thirteen years old and one day your dad decides that he is bored with just having his wife and starts doing with you as he pleases, and not just how he pleases, how ever half his buddies please. You feel that this is not right but he is your father, how dare you question the man who raised you, right? Well, you've just started learning about your body and what not, and less than a year later you discover that you are feeling sick all the time but having strange cravings and your period, which you have just started getting use to, has stopped," she glared at the fire. "You have no idea what the heck is going on and you go to your father in hopes that he can explain what is happening and make it go away. He puts two and two together and hauls you down to a clinic where they violate you with medical instruments and rip a living being out of you that you didn't even know was there in the first place! Then dear old dad takes you home and beats the living day lights out of you for being so careless…"

" Madison…"

"It gets better," she cut him off. "Years later, after you have grown into your body a little more and understand how it is suppose to work you start to realize what had happened and how wrong it felt. Then irony of ironies, it happens again. This time you know not to go to Dad but instead go to Mom. She thinks it best to have it aborted before Dad finds out again but reflecting on the last time you decide that even though you are terrified of what will happen you can not make yourself go and do that again and still be able to look at yourself in the mirror every morning," Madison set her plate down on the table for a moment. "It gets to the point where you can't hide it anymore and Dad finds out. He is furious and starts to hit you; you do everything in your power to protect your stomach. Mom throws herself on his back to try and get him to stop. He turns around, chucks her off and after hitting her a few times, he throws her down the stairs. You watch your mother slip away," Madison was biting back angry tears. "You spend the next several weeks being forced to comfort the perverted sicko how killed your mother and caused you, whether directly or indirectly, to be with child."

Raph felt Madison shiver and pulled her closer, wrapping his arms protectively around her, "Nine months later you awake in the middle of the night with horrible pains shooting through you. It takes your father almost 3 hours to decide that he might need to take you to the hospital so that you don't mess up the carpet when you have the baby," a single tear ran down Madison's face. "While your unconscious and recovering your father signs papers and arranges for the doctors to operate on you to make it where you can't have anymore children because of course you don't feel hideously ugly and defiled enough as it is, he has to go and destroy the very reason God made me a woman!"

"You are not ugly," Raph said firmly trying to sooth her as she almost trembled in rage just thinking about it. "You're the furthest from ugly."

"Whether I am or am not, sharing that your father did that to you is not something you usually go around waving like a banned for the whole world to see," Madison said.

"Point taken."

"I feel kinda of empty when I think about not being able to have kids."

"There are ways around that."

"I used to really want a family, Raph, and he destroyed that for me," she said. "But even if I could still have kids I don't know if I could let myself bring more people into this world. I don't know if I could bear it if I somehow ended up with someone like my dad."

"If you did I would come and take care of him," the turtle said. "I'll never let anyone hurt you _ever_ again, Madison. I promise."

"You can't save me from life, Raph," Madison chuckled lightly. "Do you know how painful it's gonna be when Brian asks about who his father is some day? What am I suppose to tell him?"

"Tell him the truth," Raph said trying to be helpful.

"Yeah…right," Madison snorted. "I couldn't do that to him."

"Well I wouldn't recommend lying to him about it."

"He can't even talk yet I think I have time to come up with an answer, Raph," Madison chuckled relaxing against him. "I just don't want him to get hurt."

"With a mom like you, Attila the Hun would have a problem getting to him," Raph smiled. Madison chuckled too laid her head on his shoulder, her eyes getting heavy.

"Hey, Raph…"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me again what you told me last night."

Raph chuckled lightly and kissed Madison on the forehead as she drifted off the sleep, "You're beautiful, Madison," his kissed her head again. "You are so incredibly beautiful…"

He waited until she was sleeping to grab the blanket in the back of the couch and drape it over them. Tomorrow would be a very trying day for all of them. He just prayed that his little warrior was going to be able to meet the challenge. Raphael looked back at the slumbering woman in his arms. He had seen her fight off dragons and monsters, not to mention her own demons, and still she was standing. If she couldn't stand tomorrow he would be there. He would always be there for her from now on. Raph closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep himself. Tomorrow they fight, and tomorrow they win.


	20. Chapter 19: Show Down at Down Town

**Chapter 19: Show Down at Down Town**

Madison woke up and heard snickering behind her. She shifted around and saw Mikey, the twins and Molly standing behind her and Raph almost ready to burst into laughter.

"Is there something we can help you with?" she growled. They had woken her up; not a smart thing to do.

"Raphy and Maddy sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Molly sang before running away laughing with Mikey and the twins.

"Raph," Madison slapped him in the arm. He snorted and jumped from having been so abruptly and rudely woken up.

"Huh?"

"We've been spotted."

"Hm?"

"Your rep is official out the window."

"Great."

"Oh, Raaaaaphyyyyy-boy!" Mikey practically sang from across the room. "Do you want your pancakes in the shape of a heart or a cupid?"

"May I?" Raph looked at Madison.

"Go for it," Madison leaned up and Raph leaped off the couch and on to his brother who was laughing hysterically.

"What is going on out here?" April asked as she emerged from her bedroom tightening her robe. "Sound like a war zone..." She noticed Raph and Mikey on the floor and shook her head. "Forget I asked." And she left for the kitchen.

"Hey no fair you didn't wait for me!" Casey said diving into the brawl.

Much against Madison's protest Peter and Kaylin jumped in on the fun as well. Molly was laughing to hard to even move from her spot on the floor. Leo appeared and jumped in as well. Although it seemed that at first he was trying to break it up but ended up having to defend himself. Master Splinter just walked out of the back bedroom and past the brawl as if it was not even there. He bid Madison good morning and entered the kitchen for tea. Donny came out of the door that leads to the basement with a few papers in hand. He noticed the bunch, shook his head and walked over to Madison on the couch who was yelling at them all.

"Morning," he said with a chuckle.

"Hi," Madison said, barely acknowledging his presence. "Kaylin Janette, let go of your brother's head this instant young lady! No, no, no! Leonardo put Casey down! Raphael! Mikey's arm doesn't bend that way!"

"In case anyone cares," Donatello said, trying to be the voice of reason. "I have some more dirt to burying Miller with."

Immediately the whole room stopped. Splinter and April emerged from the kitchen as Donny handed Madison the papers. She looked over them and then back at Donny with a questioned look on her face, "How did you get this information?" she asked.

"What is it?" Raph said, getting up to look over her shoulder.

"Blood test results that confirms Miller as Brian's father," Madison said. "How did you get this?"

"Hacked the Hospital data base and barrowed his medical records," Donny said. "Keep reading there is a section in there about him having to see a psychologist about anger issues and violent tendencies as a child."

"This is great, Donny!" Madison said. "But where did you get the equipment or the blood to test this. Brian's never had blood drawn before."

"Well er…"

"Did you… **_with out asking me_**!"

"Um well… maybe…"

"DONATELLO!"

"I tried to wake you up but you were completely dead to the world!" he defended. "I didn't take a lot from him just a little. Just enough to test it."

"If he is hurt I'm gonna…"

"He looks fine to me," Mikey said who had gone and gotten the wide eye child.

"Give him here!" Madison snatched the baby out of Mikey's arms and looked him over. It was true the child was completely unharmed except for the tiniest of pin pricks on the top of his hand over a vain. Madison shot a small glare at Donny but decided that staying mad at him over this was not in her best interest and with what it produced made this forgivable but… "Ask next time." She growled.

"Yes, Ma'm,"

"Ok, so what are we doing today," Leo asked. "Are we going after him or are we gonna give you a little more time to heal?"

"I think we should take pictures of her injuries," Donny suggested. "It might help in the court room."

"Oh! Speaking of court rooms," Madison looked over at April. "Did you pick up that thing I asked for?"

"Yeah hold on a sec," April disappeared for a moment and returned with a packet. "Here."

"Thanks."

"What's that?" Mikey asked.

"An adoption form," Madison said. "I am going to try and adopt the kids, that way even if Dad for some reason gets out of prison I will be their legal guardian and he'll have no rights to them."

"Good idea."

"Thank you, Casey, I tend to have them occasionally," Madison smiled.

"And you're so humble about it too," he laughed.

"I try."

"So we gettin' this show on the road?" Raph asked.

"Pass me another one of them pain killers and I'll beat ya to the car," Madison grinned.

Several hours later Miller sat in the police station seething; this was probably his twelfth meeting with these people. It had been several days since Madison and Molly had escaped and he was still nursing a sore jaw from who ever the hell it was who hit him. Probably some gang banger Madison was shaking up with. When he got his hands on her he was gonna...

"Can you describe your attacker again for us, Mr. Miller?" Detective Karson asked.

"It was too dark I couldn't really see," he replied. "All I saw was that he was bald, about 5'5ish, had a bandanna over his eyes and threatened to kill me if I ever went near my children again."

"Didn't catch a name, an accent, anything?"

"Said his name was 'Raphael'."

"Spanish perhaps?" Tyler commented from his corner. "'Raphael' is a common name in places like Spain and Italy, also in Mexico."

"He had a Brooklyn accent," Miller said. "Nothing foreign."

"Well, that's not a lot to go off of but we'll start scouting the area, talk to a few gangs and maybe something will turn up," Karson said.

"I want my children back, Detective," Miller said with a little more snarl in his voice than he had meant to have.

"We'll get them back, Mr. Miller, don't you worry," Tyler said patting Miller on the shoulder. "They'll be home safe and sound in their beds soon and the culprit behind bars."

That made Miller smile to himself. With Madison out of the way the possibilities were endless. His thought process was interrupted when another officer burst through the door.

"Sir! They're here!" he exclaimed.

"Who's here?"

"Them…those kids," he said breathlessly. "They've turned themselves in."

Miller bolted from the chair and ran down the hall way with the officers behind him. He rounded the corner and sure enough there they were standing in the middle of the lobby of the station with police surrounding them. The children were accompanied by two people he didn't know; a tall muscular man and a shorter woman with bright red hair that was pulled back in a bun. Miller put on his best father figure face and ran to them.

"Molly!" he exclaimed. "Peter, Kaylin! Thank God you're…"

"Back up, Papa Bear," snarled the man stepping in front of the kids.

"These are my children," Miller snapped. "Who do you think you are?"

"Me? Just Casey Jones, Sir," he said. "And that there is my wife, April, and if you know what's good for ya, yer gonna back up and back up now."

"How dare you threaten me," Miller snarled. "I am their father!"

"You're scum is what you are," Casey growled in a low tone.

"Scared yet, Dad?" Madison smirked. "How does it feel to have someone bigger and stronger then you are threatening you?"

Miller glared at his daughter. If he could of gotten away with it he would have slapped that look right off her face. She was his property; property did not smirk at their owners. The only satisfaction he got was watching them squirm. Molly pressed herself hard up against the red haired woman and Peter had a hand on Kaylin. Madison stood there with a look of deep sense of loathing. Her arm was in a sling and she winced as she shifted weight off of what looked like a bum ankle. She wasn't using crutches which didn't surprise him at all. _"Go ahead and look brave, Little Warrior, I know you," _Miller sneered inside his head._ "You're as scared as a rabbit about to be skinned. And after I get done with you, the rabbit'll of had it better."_ Being rather curious about what was the knap sack bag slung over her shoulder he took a step towards her but this Casey character stepped in the way. He scowled at Casey and balled his fist.

"Go ahead and take a swing at me, Pops," Casey challenged. "Fair warning, I ain't afraid to swing back."

Miller backed up into the group of police officers behind him, "Detective Karson, I demand you have that man arrested with my daughter!" he snapped.

"We don't have any charges against him, Mr. Miller," Karson said. "We can't just randomly arrest people."

"Well than at least arrest her!" he snarled pointing at Madison.

"Alright, Girl, are you going to come quietly or are we going to have to take you by force?" Tyler asked as he pulled out a pair of handcuffs and approached her.

"Back off, ya doughnut stuffer," Madison snarled. "The only one you should arrest is him."

"Oh really," Tyler rolled his eyes. He quickly scanned her appearance. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Him," she glared at Miller. "After you two left, my darling father decided that I needed to be taught a lesson." Tyler and Karson raised an eye brow. "Don't believe me? Go get the telephone from the room my dad is staying in, I'm sure you'll find this bruise right here to be an exact outline on it's side. See this stitched up cut here on my arm? Take my dad's switch blade and see how well it fits."

"Miller?" Karson looked at him. "What is she talking about?"

"She's lost her mind," Miller snapped. "She was always a little disturbed in the head and after Leyla died she completely lost it."

"Oh so I'm the one whose nuts now, am I?" Madison smirked. "That's not what your old doctor says."

"I've had just about enough of this crap," Tyler said. "We'll question her in the back." He shoved Casey out of the way and grabbed Madison's bad arm. She cried out in pain and unintentionally, out of reflex, she slammed her good fist hard in to Tyler's face sending him crashing to the ground. The surrounding officers engulfed them and seized Madison while several others held the other kids back. It took three men to restrain Casey.

"Madison Leyla Miller, you are under arrest for four counts of kidnapping, one count of theft and forgery, and one count of assault against an officer of law," said one of the policemen behind her. Madison struggled, ignoring the blinding hot pain shooting through her arm; she pulled her good arm free and snatched something out of her pocket.

"You wanna arrest me, _fine_! Arrest me! But I'm not going down alone!" she pressed play on the tape recorder and her father's cruel sneering voice flooded the room from the small speaker.

"_Daddy's missed you, Maddy. You've been a very bad girl running away like that. You should be punished."_

"_And you're been a very sick pervert who should go to jail."_

"_Probably; except for the fact that I have those idiots completely wrapped around my finger; if I say 'jump' they say 'how high?' And if I wanted to I could call them back here and have them cart you off. That would give me some time with Molly. But I have missed you all so much I'm not going to do that just yet."_

"_Well aren't we special."_

As the tape played, Miller began to sweat, "It's a lie!" he exclaimed. "That's not my voice!"

"Sounds a lot like you," Karson said, narrowing his eyes.

"If you still don't believe me, play this," Madison pulled the video tape, "Or read these," and the papers out of her bag. "You'll see what he's been doing to us for years and if you still can't pull your heads outta your backsides than I might as well leave the country."

Tyler got off the ground, took the video tape from her and eyed it curiously, "What is it?"

"Pop it in and see," Madison said as the two men holding her backed away. Tyler took the papers from her as well and scanned them. His eyes widened.

"Sir!" he said, jogging over to Karson. "These are blood tests that confirm Miller as that baby's father."

"So?" Karson looked confused. "We already knew that."

"It confirms the girl as its mother," Tyler said with a horrible taste in the back of his mouth.

Karson snatched the papers out of Tyler's hands and looked them over as well. His head snapped up and gave Miller a venomous look, "Explain this, Miller!" he demanded.

"It's a lie!" he insisted. "She was sleeping around."

"Blood test don't lie," he glared.

"But she does!"

"No, she doesn't!" exclaimed Peter from behind the wall of police blocking him. "The only one who lies is you! You guys have no idea what we've been through with him!"

"Let the boy through," Karson waved off the officers. Peter stepped forward next to Madison.

"If you guys had even half a brain you would get it!" Peter said. "Normal people don't just run away because they didn't a pony for their birthday! He beat us! He hurt my sisters! We were scared. He tired to throw Brian out of a damn window!"

"Peter," Madison placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"He made everyone think that he was this amazing super dad but the only amazing thing about him is that he was able to fool everyone for so long," Kaylin said, finding her voice. "If you even knew half of who he truly is you would of locked him up a long time ago," her voice cracked and her body screamed at her to start sobbing but she refused to let herself fall apart just yet. "You would of locked him up before our mom had to die."

Unnoticed, Molly had squirmed her way out of the policemen barrier and moved in front of her sibling. She motioned for Detective Karson to approach her. Karson looked slightly confused but walked over to the little girl and kneeled down to her level, "Did you want to say something, Sweetheart?"

"He's a broken daddy, our new one is much better," she said. Madison tensed up for a bit almost worried that Karson was going to ask about their "new daddy" but he didn't. "He doesn't like us and he's really doesn't like Maddy. She's got bunches of owwies cuz of him. I got 'em too." She the sleeve of her dress up and revealed deep scars all over her arms. Karson took her dainty arm and gently ran his fingers over the scars. He looked up at Kaylin and Peter who both rolled their own sleeves up showing him pretty much the same thing.

"Did your daddy do this to you?" Karson asked softly. Molly nodded. "Why didn't you tell us when Mr. Tyler came by at the hotel?"

"Daddy said that he would tie me up and hang me off of the balcony if I wasn't a good girl," Molly said. "He made Mommy go away for ever and…" she leaned in like she was telling him a secret. "He does bad things to Kay-Kay, Maddy and Me."

"What kind of bad things?" Karson's eyes narrowed. Molly whispered something in his ear and his eyes blazed. He patted her shoulder and walked back to Miller. Madison pulled Molly back to her. "I think you'd better come with us, Mr. Miller," Karson glared at Miller.

"She's lying!" Miller protested. "The brat is lying! All of them! She…she brain washed them! I would never touch my children."

"Innocent people don't sweat like they're hidin' somethin', Miller," Karson growled. "Get him outta here boys."

Miller was by now in a panic and he grabbed Detective Karson's gun as he brushed past. Madison shoved Peter and Kaylin back into the crowd of police. Casey had broken lose and protected April and Brian. Madison grabbed Molly just in time to meet the end of a gun barrel. "Back off!" he roared, noticing some of the police out of the corner of his eye. "Back off right now or she dies!" He looked right at Madison who was shielding Molly with her body. He grinned wickedly, "You think you've won, Maddy? Huh? Well it's kind of hard to claim the prize when you're dead."

"Even if you kill me you'll never get out of this one, Miller," she snarled. "You're done."

"No, I think you are," he backed away to about the middle of the room. "If I'm going down, so are you…"

What happened in the next few moments, Madison probably wouldn't of been able to tell you because she wasn't really sure herself. It was one of those moments in time where what happened didn't really matter, just how it turned out. If anyone were to ask her about it she would tell them that all she remembered was throwing Molly out of the way just as she heard the gun go off. She felt the bullet hit her and felt the cold marble floor when she went down. Surprising she felt no pain. Immediately after she hit the ground she heard another gun shot and more screaming. It sounded like chaos around her; people were yelling, she could hear Kaylin and Peter screaming, and she felt Molly throw her tiny figure onto her body and start to cry as she slipped into darkness.

"Maddy!" Molly screamed at her lifeless sister. "Maddy, don't die! Maddy! Maddy, please! Please don't leave me! Maddy, I don't want you to die!" Molly broke down into complete hysterical sobs and she could felt strong arms pull her off of Madison.

"Molly, don't look," Casey said pulling Molly into an embrace. The little girl sobbed into Casey's shoulder. Kaylin had completely collapsed into Peter and April stood there paralyzed with Brian in her arms.

"Somebody call an ambulance!" Karson screamed over his shoulder. "And get that son of a bitch in handcuffs!" he motioned to Miller who was wriggling on the ground, howling in pain as he clutched his bleeding arm where Tyler's bullet had hit. "Move!" Karson exclaimed pushing Peter aside to check Madison, "Come, Darlin', don't give up on us now you still got work to do," The Detective ripped open Madison's jacket and looked for the shell in unconscious girl. He suddenly sat back on his haunches with a very confused look on his face.

"Don't just sit there!" Kaylin screamed tears streaming down her face. "_Do something!_"

"Look," he said pointing to her chest. "There's no blood." The kids and their two friends looked where the Detective was pointing and sure enough there was nothing; no blood, no wound, and no sign what so ever that a shot had ever touched her. There was only a hole in her jacket. Karson reached down and picked up a green pendant. He half laughing with relief when he saw Miller's bullet buried right into the very center of it. Karson looked back to the neck line of Madison's shirt and saw a red mark just above her breast. "It would have hit her heart…"

"You mean she's alive?" Peter grabbed Karson's arm. "She's alive!"

"She's alive."

_**Author Notes: Sorry for all the cliffies I know they're cruel. No this is not the end but I am currently working on the very last chapter. I am thinking about doing an epilogue but it all depends on if anyone wants one. Later.**_

_**Chupip**_


	21. Chapter 20: Going Home

**Chapter 20: Going Home **

"I don't care what you say, we're not going with her," Peter's voice aroused Madison from her deep slumber.

_'Guuu…medic!'_ she grumbled to herself not wanting to move. Her chest felt very sore. _'I need drugs... and I need them now...'_ Peter shouting was not helping her headache. She didn't know where she was or why Peter sounded so angry so she decided to just listen for now.

"Young man, you and your siblings have no choice at this point in time," said a firm new voice. "Your sister is currently unable to care for you and you father requested that…"

"Screw him!" Peter snapped. "He is a low life son of a bitch and what he 'requested' adds up to about shit with us!"

"Peter!" Madison wheezed in her half conscious state. "What…have I told you…about swearing?" She was able to open her eyes and see that she was in a hospital bed and her room full of people. If she could just make herself sit up and stay awake she would be ok.

" Madison!" the kids and the Jones' exclaimed as they practically tackled her.

"Ak! Back up I can't breathe!" Madison gasped.

"Casey, go get the doctor," April ordered her husband. Casey dashed out of the room and soon returned with a man in a medical coat who looked to be about in his mid to late 50s. He gave her a kind smile from behind his gray beard.

"Well, our Sleeping Beauty has finally awoken," he said walking over to her and pulling out a mini flashlight to check her pupils. "You're knight in shining armor finally come by and kiss you?"

"Actually probably more like the frog prince," Madison smirk and chuckled when she, suddenly noticed a jar of Stewed Asparagus baby food with a red ribbon tied around the lid sitting on her bed stand. "So if anyone cares to clue me in, who or what was Peter arguing with?"

"That would be me," said a stern looking woman approaching the bed. "Abigail Wood."

"Hi," Madison said trying to sound as polite as possible but this woman had a serious stick up her rear. She didn't even offer to shake hands. "Can I help you?"

"Actually, my dear, I am here to help you," she said with a practiced smile. "I work for the Child Protective Services here in New York and I'm here to place your brother, sisters and son."

"Excuse me?" Madison's eyes narrowed.

"Just until you are able to provide a decent living for them, Ms. Miller," she said. "Though, judging from your current condition that could take awhile. In which case, we might want to consider a more permanent array."

"And where pray tell do you plan on placing them?" Madison's eyes narrowing even further. She could feel April and Casey glaring at the woman form behind her.

"According to your father's lawyer, if anything was to happen to your parents then you were all to go stay with your neighbor, a Mrs. Maguire I believe, until other arrangements could be found. She is here to pick up the children now. Come in, Mrs. Maguire."

"What!" Madison exclaimed as a short plump woman entered the room. "I do _not_ think so!"

"You are really not in a position to make any major decisions, Ms. Miller," Ms. Wood said.

"I beg to differ," Madison growled.

"Maddy, you've known me for years, you should know they'll be ok with me," Mrs. Maguire said.

"Are you kidding me! Why should I trust you?" Madison asked. "Every single time I went to you for help you acted as though I had lost my mind and called my father to come pick me up. Do you have any idea how much I paid for those attempts?"

"I didn't know he was like that," Maguire said looking slightly hurt.

"I went to you for help and you turned me back over to him with out even raising an eye brow that maybe, just maybe, I was telling the truth," Madison snapped. "You're as guilty as my dad for what happened to us and you might as well just kill me because they are not going anywhere with that woman, or any other woman for that matter, they are staying with me."

"Child…" Wood began.

"Don't you dare call me 'child'," Madison snarled.

"We're trying to think of what is best for the children," Ms. Wood narrowed her eyes.

"What's best for us is Madison," Peter snapped.

"They are going with Mrs. Maguire and that is that," Wood said stiffly. "You do not have a say in this."

"Actually she does," Detective Karson said firmly suddenly appearing behind the two women. "According to the books she has the final say in this."

"But her father's request…"

"Is invalid," he said with a small glare. "That man was a sick perverted and dangerous individual and is currently in prison. This girl risked her very life for those kids and has every right to say what happens to them."

"But…"

"But personal opinions aside, legally with their father being incarcerated and to my knowledge no living relatives anywhere near by…" he looked at Madison and she nodded. It was true most of their relatives were either dead or on the other side o the country. "This girl is of legal age and is therefore declared their guardian."

"But their father's lawyer…"

"Can speak to me personally if he has any issues with that," Karson said. "To hell with what their so called father requested."

"But!"

"And you can quote me to his lawyer."

"Detective, it is my responsibility to see to it that…"

"Ms. Wood, I suggest you take your high and mighty, pampered, snot nosed backside and leave," Karson said. "Or would you like for me to have you escorted out?"

"Well I never!" Wood turned on her heels and left the room, slamming the door behind her. Madison winced at the loud noise. She had a huge headache and that really didn't help.

"Would you like something for that headache?" the doctor asked.

"Something strong if ya don't mind," she said politely. "I have a feeling it's gonna turn into a migraine soon."

"Be right back," the doctor brushed past everyone and left the room.

"I'm sorry, Madison," Mrs. Maguire said. Madison softened a little; the woman really did sound sorry. "I didn't know, but I probably should have." She walked over and kissed Madison on the forehead. "You're mother would have been proud of you."

"Thank you," Madison said as the middle aged woman smiled softly and left the room.

"I think I too owe you an apology, Ms. Miller," the Detective said sheepishly. "I know there is no making up for my actions but I'd hoped maybe I could bribe you into forgiving me…" he held up a bouquet of yellow tulips. "If not you can consider them a get well gift."

"What you did for us at the station earned you my forgiveness and my thanks, Sir," Madison said. "But I'll still take the flowers."

Karson chuckled and handed the bouquet to Molly, "If it makes you feel any better I will probably have my boss on me the second I walk back in my office, if he doesn't have it already pack up for me," he said.

"No, not really," she said. "I understand that you were just trying to do your job. Although thinking about it, it kinda worked out better this way. After tonight there is no way the courts are gonna let him near us again."

"That you can be certain of, Ms. Miller," Karson said, pulling up a chair.

"It appears I've become quite popular recently," Madison said suddenly noticing that the whole left side of her room was cover in gifts and flowers.

"You're practically a celebrity now," Kaylin said. "It was all over the papers the other day. Front page and everything; 'Girl Risks Life for Family'."

"How long have I been out?"

"About two days."

"Maddy, look!" Molly said pulling out an envelope. "People sent money!"

"What?" Madison took the envelope.

"We've counted almost nine hundred dollars," Kaylin said. "And the mail just keeps coming!"

"Wow," Madison said probably sounding as shocked as she felt. "What happened to our dad?"

"Well, after he fired at you Tyler shot him in the arm," Madison smiled; ok Tyler now had her forgiveness too. "Those are his flowers right there," he pointed to a vase of red roses. (And now he had brownie points!) "Your father is currently sitting in the medical ward section of the station having Tyler's bullet removed from his arm. After that he'll be moved to a holding cell to wait for his trail date. We want you all to come and testify when that happens."

"Of course," Madison said.

"I swear to you, he will never touch any of you ever again," Karson said with a very sincere look on his face. "I'll make sure he's locked up till the second coming."

"Thank you."

"There is one more thing though, Madison, and I hate to say it but that woman has a point," Karson said. "The kids have to go somewhere until you're better and back on your feet. Now I'm not going to force you into sending them to some random house, I want you to pick a place you know that they are going to be safe in."

"We can just stay with Raphy and others like we always do!" chirped Molly.

"Who?"

"Her imaginary friend," Madison quickly said while Peter silenced Molly. "I want them to stay with April and Casey. They are the only ones who have been with us through this and I don't trust anyone else."

"Alrighty then I'll have the paper work drawn up for the foster system so that stupid woman doesn't try and sue us," Karson said getting up.

"Sir, I want to try and adopt them," Madison said as he began to leave. "As soon as I'm able to of course."

"One step at a time, Little Missy," Detective Karson said with a light chuckle. "I'll be back later to question you but right now you should rest. Good day." With that he left, closing the door again gently.

"Well," Madison said, flinging herself into her pillow. "This has been an exciting week."

"That would be an understatement," Kaylin said rolling her eyes.

"Maddy, why can't we go stay with Raphy?" Molly asked.

"We can, Honey, it's just that the other people can't know about Raphy and Master Splinter and the boys," Madison said. "If they knew about them they would try and take them away to a zoo. And that means no more piggy back rides from Raphy and no more pancakes with Mikey."

Molly covered her mouth, "I won't say nuthin," she insisted.

"Good girl," Madison smiled. "Speaking of the guys, where are they?"

"Look out the window," April chuckled.

Madison turned her head and looked out at the roof top right next to window. She smiled when she saw her friends waving back. They looked relieved that she was awake.

"Here you go, Little Lady," the doctor's voice made her jump. "The strongest headache relief we got."

"Thank you," Madison took the medication and swallowed it.

"You, my dear, are very fortunate," the doctor said, pulling out Madison's charts. "Do you remember what happened?"

"Not really."

"You are lucky, that is what happened. By the grace of God that shot hit your necklace pendant," he said marking something down. "If you hadn't of been wearing that thing the bullet would of hit your heart and we would of lost you."

Madison's hand flew to her neck but didn't find the pendant that Master Splinter had giving her, "Where is it?"

"The necklace is among your personal things I gave to your brother, the bullet is in a baggie somewhere at the police station and I assume is going to be used as evidence against your father," he said.

"Where is it?" she asked Peter. The boy reached into his pocket and pulled the trinket out. Madison took it and placed it back around her neck. She looked at it a minute and fingered the hole through the center where the bullet had hit. She smiled slightly and tucked the pendant into her hospital gown. "So Doc, when can I get outta here?"

"Well in a perfect world we would probably keep you here till tomorrow to make sure you're ok but I know how much you probably want to be with your family so if you're doing alright by the end of the day we'll send you home. Sound good?"

"Sounds great."

"If you don't mind my asking though, where are you going to stay?" the doctor asked. "I can't really imagine that you'd go back and live at your old house."

"They'll be staying with us for the time being," said Casey.

"Grand," the doctor smiled. "Well seems like everything is alright for now, I'll let you all enjoy her company for awhile and I'll check back in later."

"Thanks again," Madison said as the doctor closed the door on his way out.

"I didn't tell, Maddy," Molly smiled looking very proud of her self.

"I'm so proud of you," Madison chuckled leaning over and hugging the child.

"If you are able to go home tonight are you wanting to stay the night with us or do you just want to go straight back to the Lair?" April asked.

"I appreciate you guys covering for us and everything you've done, you have no idea," Madison said. "But I think we just all really want to go back to the Lair."

April just smiled and nodded in understanding. As it turned out, Madison was able to go home. The doctor wanted her back in two weeks for a check up and commented on how well her wounds had been attended to. Madison had just smiled and said that she had a very good friend who was an aspiring doctor.

"I'd love to meet him; these stitches are very well done. Very precise," the doctor said.

"Well, I don't think so but I'll tell him his work is admired," Madison chuckled as she signed her release papers.

"Well, Ms. Miller, that's that," the doctor place a hand on her good shoulder with a kind smile. "You've got fire in you're blood, Little Missy, that's rare. Good luck to you."

"Thank you," Madison said. This doctor was strange; nice guy, but strange.

April had taken the kids out to pizza for dinner and promised to come back and pick up Casey and Madison after she dropped the kids off with the guys. They had loaded up most of the flowers and gifts earlier and moved them down to the Lair earlier that day. Madison told Peter to leave one of the bouquets with April and Casey as a thank you. It was about 8:30 and Casey was down stairs loading up the very last of the gifts when Raph slipped in the window. Madison putting her own clothes back on, vowing to burn the horribly uncomfortable hospital gown, and didn't notice.

"Hey, Gorgeous," he chuckled.

Madison made a squeak like noise and clutched the gown to her bare chest, "Raphael, you pervert! Get out of here!"

"Why? It's such a lovely view," he grinned.

"You either get out or turn around or I'm gonna shove my foot up your shell!"

"Will you keep your voice down, you'll have the doctor in here any minute," Raph said.

"Turn around," Madison glared. Raph obeyed and turned around. He could hear Madison hurrying to put on her bra and shirt. He noticed her jacket sitting in the chair next to him. He picked up the oddly colored jacket and put his finger through the bullet hole on the front. He clenched his fist and growled. "Ok you can look now." Raphael turned around with the piece of clothing in his hands and walked over to Madison. "Raph?" Madison said putting her hand over his. "Something wrong?"

Raphael looked up at her for a moment before wrapping her in a hug, minding her shoulder of course, "You're such an idiot, Madison."

"Gee thanks, it's nice to see you too!" Madison said in annoyance.

"I almost lost you," he murmured into her hair.

Madison blushed, 'I almost lost you' not 'we almost lost you', 'I'. He said I.

"God, Madison, what made you keep standing there?"

"It was either Molly's life or mine, what did you expect me to do?" she replied. She relaxed into his embrace and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"The exact same thing you did," Raph chuckled. "Do me a favor though, next time some nut job with a gun is it pointing at you, don't stay right there."

"I don't really plan on coming face to face with anymore nut jobs with guns," Madison laughed, pulling back just enough so she could see his face.

"Ok let me be a little more broad," he said cupping her chin. "Don't do anything I would do."

"Well now that just took all the fun outta life," she smirked.

"Don't be a smart ass," Raph smirked back.

"Make me," her smirk turned more cattish.

"Maybe I will…" Raph leaned down.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Casey's voice made them jump apart.

_'Damn you, Casey Jones!' _Raph glared at the smirking idiot.

_'So close!'_ Madison wanted to whine but she didn't, well not out loud anyway. _'Just another thirty second…Aggg!'._ "Everything ready to go?" she asked trying to hide her blush.

"We are," Casey grinned. "You ready?"

"Yeah," Madison said as Raph helped her over to the wheel chair Casey had brought in. "Don't know why I need this thing, my ankle feels way better."

"Just humor us and sit your butt down," Casey said. Madison glared but obeyed.

Raph patted her shoulder and laughed, "See ya street side, Babe." He gave her a quick peck on the cheek and exited through the window.

"Don't call me babe!" she shook her fist at him, knowing he was smirking as he leaped away from roof to roof.

"Ready to head back to the Lair?" Casey asked, wheeling her out of the room.

"No," Madison replied bluntly, than added with a smile. "I ready to go home."

**_Author Note: There is an epilogue coming! Stay tuned. _**


	22. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Madison flung herself on to the couch and kicked off her shoes, she rubbed one of her sore feet. Who ever invented high heels and nylons should be shot! She eventually propped her feet up on the arm rest, being careful to mind the skirt and laid there for a minute. They were finally rid of him. Guilty; just thinking about that word brought a smile to her face. He had glared daggers at her and the children when he was being escorted out. It was a look of revenge but like he could do anything to her. He had twenty years in prison for child abuse and molestation with an additional ten years for attempted murder. But the one thing that made Madison practically kiss the judge was when he said that they would all meet again in six months for the trial and sentencing of their mother's murder. Karson said he wouldn't blame Madison if she tried to push the death penalty; which was apparently a very good possibility. What made things even better was that the same judge who headed their father's trial was the same man handling their adoption process. He promised her that Peter, Kaylin and Molly would legally be hers in a matter of a few months. And Detective Karson promised he would see what he could do about placing Miller in a very… "Loving" prison environment. Madison had never been happier in her life.

It had been almost three months since she had hospital with Casey and she and the children had been living blissfully with the turtles. They of course went to stay with April and Casey for a few days every month when the social worker came by to check up on them but that was a small price to pay for being able to live without Miller. Madison had gotten a part time job after she healed up a bit more and was having Donny tutor her so she could start taking some online college courses in the spring in business and than try and find a culinary school in town. She still wanted to open up that restaurant.

The children would be starting public school after the first of the year. Molly was ecstatic about the idea of being in the third grade with a real teacher and real desks. She asked Madison if she could get a new hair clip to go to her new school in. Madison just smiled and said that she could have a whole new outfit if she wanted. The twins would be starting the seventh grade. Madison promised them that she would take them all school shopping after New Years. That was when all the best sells were. Until they went to school though Madison hadn't lightened up on their home studies. Kaylin was no longer allowed to do her homework in her room; she had to be at the table where Madison could make sure she didn't ditch it on Donny again.

Brian had turned one year old a few weeks before Christmas and the boys threw him a party worthy of a prince. He had even said his first word. "Cow-wa". Madison had a feeling Mikey had something to do with that but that was ok she'd take what she could get. Then it was Christmas; with all the money that she had received from "her public" after being shot, which had come up to about 2,000 dollars by the time the mail had for the most part stopped, Madison was finally able to give the kids a proper Christmas. Madison had laughed herself sick when Raph came out in a Santa suit. She wasn't sure how the heck the guys pulled off convincing him to put on that get up but she thought it might have had something to do with Molly. She had convinced Raph to take her to go see Santa at the mall while Madison was shopping somewhere else. He must of gotten the idea after seeing the look on her when one of the helper elves hoisted Molly onto the mall Santa's lap. Not that he'd ever admit it. Madison smirked to herself. He was cute like that.

Ever since that day at the hospital something had obviously changed between them, although nothing else had happened since then. He flirted with her but there were no more attempts at a kiss; much to her disappointment. Finding him attractive confused her slightly. He was a giant green turtle who fought inner city ninjas. Not exactly someone you showed off during the family reunion at the country club. Of course it's not like she really had a human family outside of the kids, and April and Casey. So maybe…

"DOG PILE MADDY!"

Madison's eyes shot open just in time to see Peter, Kaylin and Molly jump on her and start tickling her. Madison shrieked in laughter and retaliated, "Oh no, you don't!" she grabbed Peter in a head lock and snatched the back of Kaylin's shirt and pulled her back down and tickled her. Molly jumped on Madison's back and they all tumbled onto the floor giggling.

"Hey! You guys never wait for me!" Mikey exclaimed and jumped on in. He pulled Molly off of and started tickling Maddy to.

She was out numbered four to one so all she could really do was curl up in as much of a fetal position for protection but it didn't work. She was defeated and gave in to hysterical laughter, "Alright! ALRIGHT I SURRENDER!" she shrieked.

"Pansy," Raph laughed as he leaned over the back of the couch. "You should of fought back harder."

Madison smirked, "You have four to one odds and see how well you do."

"I have before," Raph boasted. "Piece of cake."

"Really?" she raised a mischievous eye brow. "Oh children…"

"Huh?" before Raph could react, Peter, Mikey and Kaylin had launched themselves over the back of the couch and pinned him to the floor. Molly and Madison jumped on him and began tickling him instead. Raph roared in irritation at first but eventually just gave in to laughter. The commotion drew Donny and Leo from their activities and they came out to the living room.

"What's going on?" Leo asked, seeing Raph pinned to the floor, he feet flailing underneath the pile of people.

"Leo! HAHAHA! HELP! AHAHAHAHA!" Raph pleaded between gasps for breath.

"Ummm…no…" Leo jumped into the pile with Donny.

"YOU ARE ALL SO DEAD!"

Master Splinter sat in the back ground smiling at his family.

"Hey what's goin' on?" asked April as she and Casey walked into the Lair, still in the clothes they were wearing at the trial. April was cradling Brian in her arms and he was laughing and clapping at the sight of everyone in a massive pile on the floor.

"Raphael is learning a very valuable lesson today," Splinter said.

"What would that be?"

"Never boast to a beautiful girl whom you know can take you down," the old rat chuckled and walked back to his room.

"Well this looks like fun," Casey smiled, running over to the dog pile and threw himself on top, squishing Madison between Mikey and Leo.

"I'm so glad I married such a mature individual," April chuckled. The child cocked his head off to the side and looked at her oddly. "Never mind."

"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! DAMNIT ALL OF YA GET OFFA ME!" Raph roared. Everyone eased up and sat around on the floor still chuckling a bit.

"I think I ripped my skirt," Madison said, looking at the back hem.

"You guys ready to go?" Casey asked.

"Where?" Leo asked.

"We thought we'd take them for a victory dinner," April said. "You guys wanna come?"

"Pizza?" Mikey inquired.

"Of course."

"Be right back!" the turtles and kids ran from the room to get ready.

"You coming, Maddy?" April asked when she noticed Madison hadn't moved off of the floor.

"I'm beyond tired, Ape," she said getting up. "Take a rain check?"

"Of course," April hugged her. Madison smiled down at Brian and took him in her arms. She kissed his cheek and gave him a hug. He gurgled and cooed.

"You're a great mom, Madison," April said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Not just to Brian but to all those kids."

"Thanks, April," Madison gave Brian another kiss and handed him back to her. He was bundled up to protect him from the cold outside but he kept on pulling off his stocking cap. Madison patted his hands away and adjusted his little beanie again. "Mommy loves you." She said kissing him again. "You gonna be a good boy for Auntie April and Uncle Casey?"

"Cow-wa!" the child just laughed so Madison took that as a yes.

"I'm gonna kill Mikey," Madison laughed. "Most children's first words are along the lines of 'mama' or 'dada' or even 'no'. And what is my kid's first word… Cow-wa… that is probably not going to look good on a Harvard application."

"He's a year old, Madison," April laughed. "I think he's got time to get a bigger vocabulary."

Madison smiled and walked to her room, dodging the massive heard of people and reptiles that nearly trampled her over as they left, "Bring me back a pizza!" she shouted over her shoulder. Kaylin gave her thumbs up as she grabbed her coat and scarf and ran out the door with the others. Madison went into her room and started shucking off her court cloths. She replaced them with jeans and a turtle neck sweater. She pulled on her shoes and left the room.

"Going somewhere?" Splinter startled her as she was donning her coat.

"Oh, Master Splinter," Madison said, chuckling a bit at being caught off guard. "I didn't hear you. Yes I'm going for a walk."

"You did not want to go with the others?"

"I'm just not really hungry right now but they'll bring me back something," she said pulling on her gloves.

"If you need to talk, my daughter, you know my ears are always willing to listen," the old rat said smiling kindly.

"I'm fine, Master Splinter," Madison smiled back, kissing him on the head. "But thank you." She left him standing there and left the Lair. Splinter stood there smiling for a bit. He marveled at how strong his daughter was. If she was upset he knew she would come to him. Till then he would meditate. Making his way back to his room he noticed Raph exiting Madison's bedroom.

"I thought you went with the others, my son."

"Nah, thought I'd stay behind and keep Maddy company," he said. "Where is she?"

"She just left to go for a walk," Splinter said.

"Oh, ok," Raph said making his way across the Lair. "Catch ya later, Sensei."

Splinter grinned behind his whiskers as he watched his son leave. But he wasn't going to say a word. Not one single word.

Raph made his way topside and up a near by fire escape ladder. He knew Madison would be on the roof, she usually was when she said she was going on a walk. Sure enough that is where he found her. She was sitting with her knees to her chest on the ledge watching the sun set.

"This seat taken?" he asked sitting behind her.

"Thought you left?" she said, unfolding her body.

"Nah ain't really hungry," he said. "What's eaten ya?"

"Just seems kinda weird to finally be rid of him," she said. "It's a great feeling but it's like…like it's too good to be true. And with the look he gave me when they took him away I just worry that…ah forget it."

"No, Maddy, spill," Raph said. "It ain't like I'm gonna laugh or anything."

"I guess deep down there will always be that fear of him getting out and coming after us again," she admitted.

"You know what I'm gonna do if he does?" Raph said.

"Do tell oh brave green knight," Madison chuckled.

"This," he took out on of his Sais and twirled it around in his hand to show off a bit. Madison laughed and he chucked it at the wall. The metal object stuck hard into the brick. Madison smiled and hugged him.

"Thanks, Raph," she said. "You're a great friend."

"Friend, eh?" he smirked. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and pulled her close to him.

"Yes, Raphael, friends," she laughed when she couldn't squirm out of his embrace. "I was unaware that anything else was between us," she said giving him a cattish like smirk.

"Than you're not as smart as I thought you were," he grinned back.

"I'm not the one who put their red bandanas in the washer with all the whites," Madison said. Peter was furious when he found out his favorite white shirt had been dyed pink.

"I'm not the one who broke Donny's bow staff," Raph smirked.

"It was an accident!" Madison protested. "And I swear to God, Raph, if you tell him it was me I'll…"

"Hey, Madison?"

"What!"

"Shut up," Raph leaned over and kissed her. It was a chaste kiss and rather awkward but Madison had such a wonderful kiss. He drew back finally and their just sat there in silence for a moment.

"That was weird," Madison said finally, _completely_ ruining the moment.

"Gee, thanks!" Raph snorted. "Wait a sec, you live in a sewer with four mutant turtles and a giant rat! How can you possibly complain about anything being weird!"

"Hey, Raph?"

"What?"

"Shut up." and she kissed him back. He was right; she had no reason to complain about being weird. She was wired, her family was wired, and her whole dang life was weird. Always had been and always would be. But you know what…

She liked it that way.

THE END

**_Author Note: I do hope that you have all enjoyed the story. I have worked very hard on it so I hope it has paid off. I wanna thank you guys for all your reviews, especially davewriter who has been amazing awesome in giving me advice through this whole fic and helping me make sure I didn't bludger it to hell and get my story kicked off. Anywho I was just wondering if anyone would be interested in a possible sequel? If you would like one tell me so in your review. If not, I bid you a fond fair well for now. Till next time. TaTa._**

**_Tenshi Chupip_**


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